---
title: "Two dead, 18 hurt in South Korea after truck crashes into market, media reports say"
description: "A light truck crashed into a market in South Korea on Thursday, ploughing 150 metres (164 yards) along a passageway lined with stalls before coming to a halt, killing two people and injuring 18, according to emergency officials and media reports."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-11-13-two-dead-18-hurt-in-south-korea-after-truck-crashes-into-market-media-reports-say/"
published: "2025-11-13T11:55:15"
updated: "2025-11-13T11:55:16"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 174
---

# Two dead, 18 hurt in South Korea after truck crashes into market, media reports say

> A light truck crashed into a market in South Korea on Thursday, ploughing 150 metres (164 yards) along a passageway lined with stalls before coming to a halt, killing two people and injuring 18, according to emergency officials and media reports.

By Reuters · Published 13 November 2025, 13:55 SAST · Updated 13 November 2025, 13:55 SAST

## Key points
- In a scene straight out of a disaster movie, a truck driver in Bucheon claims his vehicle developed a mind of its own, leading to a chaotic market crash that left two shoppers in cardiac arrest and authorities scrambling to piece together the wreckage of both the incident and his alibi.
- A tragic incident at a Bucheon market resulted in two fatalities due to cardiac arrest after a truck crashed into stalls.
- The truck reportedly reversed 28 meters before accelerating into the outdoor market, raising questions about the driver's control.
- Authorities confirmed the driver, in his 60s, was not intoxicated and is currently under police investigation.
- CCTV footage captured the chaotic moment, showing shoppers unaware of the impending danger as the truck barreled through.

## Content

The incident took place at a market located in Bucheon, about 20 km (12.43 miles) west of the capital Seoul, a fire official told a televised briefing.

Two people who had suffered cardiac arrest were later confirmed to have died, the Yonhap News Agency said.

The truck appeared to reverse for 28 metres before accelerating towards the outdoor market, the fire official said.

The driver had blamed a sudden surge of acceleration for the incident, he said.

The driver was not intoxicated when tested for alcohol, a police official said at the briefing.

Authorities would hand the vehicle over to investigators to try to determine the cause of the crash, the official said.

CCTV footage aired on Korean television showed shoppers going about their business at an outdoor market before a blue truck accelerated along a passageway lined by stalls and crashed into one of the stores.

Police had arrested the driver who was in his 60s and he was being questioned, Yonhap said.

(Reporting by Jack Kim and Heejin KimEditing by Ed Davies)