[From the Scene] Passersby, families mourn tragic deaths of 9 killed by wrong-way driver

Bouquets of white chrysanthemums were laid next to Exit No. 7 of Seoul's City Hall Station on Tuesday, the rainy morning after a car crash that resulted in nine deaths in the area.

Though most of the crime scene had been cleared, remnants of the accident lingered in the morning. A temporary fence enclosed the destroyed guardrails from Monday’s car crash, and police officials remained stationed at the site.

Pedestrians passing by paused to look at the flowers, with some laying down their own and leaving messages of condolence.

“I pass by here every day on my way to work,” Kang Hyun-jee, a 35-year-old office worker based in Seoul, told The Korea Herald. “I always pass by here without much thought, so I was really shocked to hear that such a tragic accident happened here last night. I made sure to stop by on my way to work today to offer my condolences to the victims lost.”

At around 9:27 p.m., a vehicle crashed into pedestrians waiting at a traffic light at an intersection near Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, central Seoul, as it drove in the wrong direction and collided with two vehicles before hitting the pedestrians. The driver is said to blame a sudden unintended acceleration for the accident and was not under the influence of alcohol, according to police officials.

Of the nine fatalities, six people were pronounced dead at the scene, while three were later pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital in cardiac arrest. Four were also left injured due to the accident but are not in critical condition.

Chung Yong-woo, a senior police officer at the Namdaemun Police Station, confirmed to The Korea Herald that the police “believe that all 13 victims were killed or injured after being hit by the vehicle,” though details cannot yet be confirmed as the investigation is still ongoing.

“I heard a large bang outside -- almost like a bomb -- and saw that a severe car crash had occurred,” a manager of a restaurant near the site of the accident who wished to be identified only by his last name of Kim, told The Korea Herald.

Kim added that the area is typically crowded at the time of the accident, as many people stop by for drinks or late-night meals before heading home after work.

“When I went outside, there were at least 10 people sprawled out across the floor. The car had already come to a stop close to the guardrails but had left at least three or four of the guardrails destroyed,” added Kim.

At around 12 p.m., the sounds of bereaved families, friends and co-workers mourning the victims of the car crash could be heard around the National Medical Center, where two of the nine victims who passed have been given funerals. Six other victims have been given funerals at Yeongdeungpo Hospital, while one was given a funeral at Severance Hospital.

“I told you to always be careful. Why didn’t you listen to me?” cried the mother of a 54-year-old victim identified by his last name of Lee. Lee was an employee at one of the top commercial banks in South Korea. “How can you leave without me? What will I do without you?”

“My husband was one of the kindest and one of the most diligent people I knew,” said the wife of another victim, identified by his last name of Kim. Kim was a 52-year-old public official employed at Seoul City Hall who oversaw managing the city government. “Even though he was always busy due to his work, he never complained once. He loved his family and his daughters so much.”

According to the police, all the nine victims who passed were men, with four of them being employees at a bank.

“Following Monday’s personnel appointment announcements, we heard that the four victims met for a dinner gathering to celebrate two of the victims’ promotions,” confirmed a commercial bank official.

Two other victims, including Kim, were public officials employed at Seoul City Hall, while three others were workers employed at a hospital.

Following the car crash, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon arrived at the crime scene Monday and urged officials to thoroughly and quickly determine the cause of the accident. Oh also added that the city government will work closely with police officials, fire officials and other authorities to assist in any way needed.

President Yoon Suk Yeol also ordered related government agencies on Monday to respond swiftly to the deadly car accident and ordered the Interior Minister and the chief of the National Fire Agency to “focus all resources on rescue and treatment of the victims.”