Transcripts of Seoul City Hall reversing vehicle incident revealed

“There are too many dead and injured people!”

A transcript of the 119 emergency call made during the reversing vehicle incident near Seoul City Hall was released on Thursday. The transcript captured the urgency and distress of the situation, including the caller's crying.

Rep. Yoon Geon-young of the Democratic Party, an Administration and Safety Committee member, disclosed the transcript on Monday, which he obtained from the safety call center. Fourteen calls were made over 15 minutes from 9:27 p.m. to 9:42 p.m. on Monday.

“There was a large accident between passenger cars,” the initial caller said. “The cars are completely destroyed, and one person is lying on the road at the intersection of City Hall Station.” Although the incident involved a car ramming into a crowd, the caller initially believed it was a car-on-car accident. The second caller stated, “A black passenger car suddenly rammed into pedestrians, and many are severely injured. More than five people are lying on the street.” When asked if the accident occurred at Shindang Station, the caller mistakenly confirmed, “Yes.” The actual location was City Hall Station.

Several citizens were sobbing during their calls to 119. A dispatcher, believed to be a part-time worker at a nearby convenience store, repeatedly urged a caller to "calm down" and "not cry" as she described the scene in a sobbing voice.

Some callers attempted to administer first aid as instructed by emergency responders before firefighters arrived. A third caller said that when asked if he could perform first aid, he replied, "I'll do it." A witness, a store owner, reported, "People were running to those who had collapsed and doing CPR."

The last call, made around 9:42 p.m., expressed despair: "People are down, and only one person can do CPR. The others are not in a position to do it."

Police are investigating the driver of the vehicle, identified by his surname Cha, who was responsible for the reversing accident on Monday.


주현우 기자 woojoo@donga.com