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Heavy fogs paralyze traffic near Ilsan

Posted February. 20, 2001 19:08,   

한국어

A string of traffic accidents involving more than 100 vehicles occurred Tuesday morning on Jayu-ro, known as Korea`s Autobahn, due to heavy fogs that took the central region by surprise during the early morning hours Tuesday.

The accidents took place beginning at 7 a.m. on five sections of Jayu-ro, including the Janghang Interchange (IC)-Isanpo IC and Paju City sections. Owing to the accident, traffic was completely paralyzed for about three hours on both sides of a 6km section of Jayu-ro from Isan to the Kimpo Bridge. Traffic chaos also reigned on roads leading to Jayu-ro from Ilsan.

In Koyang City, a traffic accident involving some 80 automobiles left three people in serious condition and 20 others with minor injuries. The injured received treatment at a nearby hospital.

About 30 minutes after the accident on the Ilsan highway section, 28 vehicles including 11 large trailers collided on both sides of Jayu-ro in Paju City. About 100 automobiles in all were involved in the Jayu-ro collision. The accident was attributed to heavy fogs that began to cover western metropolitan areas such as Koyang, Kimpo and Inchon late Monday night and reduced visibility to less then 10 meters.

Also blamed were low temperatures that turned snowy roads icy overnight. Local residents complained that traffic congestion worsened because police failed to set up detours and cars continued to use the road.



Park Joung-Gu jyw11@donga.com