Police Chief: "Comprehensive Assessment of Sudden Acceleration in City Hall Station Traffic Accident"

Additional Investigation Needed for Passengers

Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, stated on the 8th regarding the reverse driving traffic accident at Seoul City Hall Station, “The suspect, Cha Mo (68), was investigated on the 4th, and I believe additional investigation is necessary for the passenger.”

Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency. [Image source=Yonhap News]

At the regular press briefing that day, Commissioner Yoon said, “We have requested the National Forensic Service to analyze the black box and CCTV footage of the accident vehicle,” adding, “It is difficult to provide an official response until the final results are out.”

Regarding concerns about the reliability of the Event Data Recorder (EDR), Commissioner Yoon explained, “Whether sudden unintended acceleration occurred will be comprehensively determined through defect inspections, footage from the time of the accident, and testimonies from related parties, not solely based on the EDR.” He added, “The National Forensic Service’s analysis takes about one to two months. Given the severity of the accident, I understand the process is proceeding swiftly.”

On preventing traffic accidents involving elderly drivers, Commissioner Yoon stated, “The aptitude test period for those aged 75 and over has been shortened from five years to three years, and traffic safety education and voluntary license surrender programs are being implemented.” He also noted, “A research project on high-risk drivers is underway.”

Regarding the case where Hanwha Ocean filed a complaint against HD Hyundai Heavy Industries over the bid for the Korean next-generation destroyer (KDDX) project, Commissioner Yoon said, “The Ulsan District Prosecutors’ Office conducted a search and seizure, and investigations of complainants and accused parties are ongoing.” He added, “There are five ongoing investigations in total: two complaints from Hanwha Ocean, two from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and one involving a former Defense Acquisition Program Administration chief.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.