Cargo Truck Slams Into Cars On Gyeongbu Expressway, Kills Three, Injures Eight In Pileup

Cheonan, South Korea— A cargo truck plowed into two cars on the Gyeongbu Expressway on October 24, 2026, killing three people and injuring eight in a chain-reaction crash that shut the highway for hours.

The collision happened on the southbound lanes near Cheonan, where traffic was moving heavy but steady. Police said the truck failed to brake in time and struck the rear of a sedan, pushing it into another car ahead. Both passenger vehicles were crushed. The truck jackknifed and blocked three lanes.

Rescue crews cut open the sedans. Two occupants died inside one car. The third fatality was in the second car. Paramedics triaged the injured on the shoulder. Eight were taken to hospitals in Cheonan and Asan, including two in critical condition.

The truck driver survived with minor injuries. He was tested for alcohol and drugs at the scene. Initial results were negative, according to expressway patrol. Investigators seized the truck's tachograph and dashcam to check speed and braking before impact.

Traffic backed up for more than seven kilometers. Korea Expressway Corporation diverted vehicles to a local bypass and warned of delays through the afternoon. Tow operators needed cranes to remove the wreckage. Debris and spilled fuel covered nearly 100 meters of asphalt.

An officer at the scene said, "The impact was severe. One car was compressed to half its length. We had to work around leaking fuel." The National Forensic Service will examine brake lines and tire marks to determine whether mechanical failure or driver error caused the loss of control.

Families of the victims were notified at a rest area turned into a temporary support center. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it would review recent inspection records for the trucking company, which operates a fleet of 40 cargo vehicles nationwide.

Truck-related fatalities have stayed stubbornly high on the Gyeongbu corridor, the country's busiest freight artery. Police data shows rear-end collisions involving heavy trucks spike in the late morning when delivery schedules tighten.

The southbound lanes reopened after five hours, with one lane kept closed for surface cleaning. The investigation remains open and charges are pending based on the forensic report.