A bus veered off the road in western Seoul on Friday afternoon, plowing into pedestrians near Seodaemun Station and injuring 13 people, with two in serious condition. The driver claimed the brakes failed, but police found no signs of alcohol or drugs. Authorities are investigating the cause.
On Friday, January 16, 2026, at around 1:15 p.m., an intracity bus veered off the road at an intersection near Seodaemun Station in western Seoul, ramming into pedestrians before crashing into a building. Rescue officials reported that the incident left two people seriously injured and another 11 hurt. Among the seriously injured were a pedestrian in her 50s who suffered a broken leg and a man in his 30s who was bleeding from the head. They were transported to the hospital along with six others.
The bus driver, a man in his 50s who was also injured, told police that the vehicle's brakes had failed. Authorities found no signs of the driver being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash. Police plan to investigate him on charges of causing injury and will send the vehicle to the National Forensic Service to check for defects.
A witness in her 50s described the scene: the bus was traveling straight before it suddenly struck a car, a motorcycle, and people. She said she heard a loud noise "as if on a battlefield" and fled the area.
To secure the site, authorities dispatched 271 personnel and 18 vehicles. Early reports listed the time as 1:27 p.m., but updates confirmed it as 1:15 p.m. Officials are working to determine the exact cause of the accident.
