1-ton truck races 25 meters into tent; seven, including a volunteer mother and son, killed or injured

[Financial News] A 1-ton truck operated by Anseong City plowed into an event venue at a park in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, where a flea market was scheduled to be held over the weekend. Seven people were killed or injured, including a mother and son who had been volunteering.
According to Anseong Police Station and fire authorities, a 1-ton truck carrying used goods charged toward the crowd at the flea-market event at Gongdo No. 10 Children’s Park in Gongdo-eup, Anseong, at 11:18 a.m. on the 19th.
A woman in her 40s and her teenage son, who were at the scene, were taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest but ultimately died. Three others, including a woman in her 20s, suffered serious injuries such as broken legs. Two more people, including a woman in her 50s, received emergency treatment at the scene for breathing difficulties and other symptoms, bringing the total number of injured to five.
All seven casualties were confirmed to be volunteers or other people involved in the event who had arrived early to help with the "2026 Sharing Green Marketplace," which was scheduled to open at 1 p.m. that day, making the incident even more tragic.

The truck suddenly drove about 25 meters into the park, quickly destroying tables and tents set up for the event. It struck the mother and son before finally coming to a stop after hitting an outer metal post.
The vehicle involved belonged to Anseong City’s Resource Circulation Division and was painted with a slogan promoting resource-circulation practices. The driver was identified as A, a man in his 60s who worked as a fixed-term employee for Anseong City. Investigators found that he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
A’s statements differed during the police investigation. Immediately after the accident, he reportedly told officers at the scene, "I mistook the accelerator pedal for the brake while trying to stop on a road near the park to load and unload goods." However, during questioning at the police station, he changed his account, saying, "I entered the park to park the vehicle for promotional purposes, and then the vehicle suddenly accelerated unintentionally."
Police placed A under emergency arrest on suspicion of causing death and injury under the Act on Special Cases Concerning Traffic Accidents and requested an arrest warrant. Because A claimed sudden unintended acceleration, police also plan to send the vehicle to the National Forensic Service for a detailed examination.
A police official said, "We are investigating the exact cause of the accident from multiple angles, including how a city-affiliated vehicle entered the park, where vehicle access was restricted, and whether there was an actual operating error."

[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter