Driver who killed 4 in Bucheon market crash sentenced to 2.5 years in prison
Court finds that deadly accident was caused by pedal misapplication error when man stepped on accelerator instead of break
A photo shows a truck that crashed into Jeil Market in Bucheon, Gyeonggi on Nov. 13, 2025.
YONHAP
A truck driver involved in a crash that killed four and injured 18 in a traditional market in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, was sentenced to prison on Monday.
The 67-year-old driver was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for causing death in a traffic accident under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents at the Bucheon branch of the Incheon District Court.
"The offense is serious given the large number of casualties," the court said. "However, the driver admitted wrongdoing and reached settlements with the families of three of the four victims who died, who subsequently expressed that they did not wish further punishment."
Prosecutors sought a four-year prison sentence at the final hearing last month, but the court sentenced the driver to two years and six months. In a final statement, the driver apologized and vowed to spend the rest of their life seeking forgiveness from the victims' families.
The accident happened on Nov. 13 last year, when the 67-year-old stepped out of a one-ton truck while it was still in reverse. When the vehicle began to move, the driver panicked and got back inside, but mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. The truck sped for about 130 meters (427 feet) through market stalls and among pedestrians at Jeil Market in Bucheon at around 10:54 a.m. that day.
The crash killed four people and injured 18 others. Police did not pursue charges related to the injured victims because the driver was covered by comprehensive automobile insurance.
The investigation found that the crash was caused by a typical pedal misapplication error.
Footage recorded by a pedal-monitoring black box installed in the vehicle also captured the moment the driver stepped on the accelerator.
The driver had been diagnosed with moyamoya disease, a cerebrovascular disorder, five years earlier. However, a medical assessment concluded that the illness didn't directly contribute to the crash.
BY KO SEUNG-PYO [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
