Traffic Fatality Near Seoul: Pedestrian Killed in Multi-Car Expressway Crash That Snarls Morning Commuters

Seoul, South Korea—Metal shrapnel littered the asphalt lanes as emergency flares flickered against the damp pavement. The chain-reaction crash erupted just past the main toll interchange, involving three commercial freight trucks and five passenger vehicles in a tangled knot of wreckage.

A lone pedestrian attempting to cross the active lanes during the initial slowdown was struck by a swerving delivery van. Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene within minutes of arrival.

Lanes were sealed off for two miles, backing up commuter traffic all the way to the outer ring road junctions. Drivers stepped out of their vehicles, pacing the concrete dividers while staring at the smoking engine blocks ahead.

"Visibility dropped sharply near the overpass transition just before the impact," said a responding traffic division officer. "Drivers had less than two seconds to react to the slowing queue."

Heavy tow trucks hooked winches onto mangled frames, dragging vehicles apart to clear the obstructed drainage ditches. Glass sweepers pushed debris into piles while police investigators marked skid lengths with bright yellow spray paint.

Commuters missed morning appointments across the metropolitan center as regional bus lines diverted through congested local neighborhoods. Transit hubs reported massive delays as stranded passengers overwhelmed subway transfer platforms.

Road maintenance crews inspected the concrete median barrier for structural compromise where the heavy trucks impacted. Traffic cameras captured the initial sequence, which investigators are currently reviewing frame by frame.

The highway management bureau issued continuous advisory warnings across digital overhead gantries urging alternative routing.

Clearing operations wrapped up late in the afternoon, though residual congestion persisted for hours.