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November 27, 2007
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| The commander of United States Forces in Korea, General Burwell B. Bell, expressed his condolences yesterday to victims of a traffic accident involving a U.S. military vehicle that resulted in the death of two South Koreans Sunday. “We are greatly saddened by this terrible accident,” Bell said in a statement. “On behalf of all USFK service members, we express our deepest sympathies and my personal condolences go out to the families of those affected by this tragic event.” The U.S. military vehicle was a bus driven by a South Korean civilian employee of Gunsan U.S. Air Base. It was carrying 19 passengers from Gunsan to Osan when it hit a civilian van, killing two and injuring six in the van. The injured are all in critical condition, police said, but names were not released pending investigation and notification of families. The driver of the military bus, age 40, was identified only by his last name, Shin. The casualties were in a Kia Carnival minivan. The accident occurred on a highway near Hongseong, South Chungcheong, 157 kilometers (97.5 miles) south of Seoul. The bus hit the van from behind but police are investigating the exact cause of the accident, an official of the Seoul metropolitan police said. Shortly before the 2002 presidential election, two middle school girls were killed when they were struck by a U.S. armored vehicle. The uproar resulted in widespread protests that fanned anti-U.S. sentiment here. By Brian Lee Staff Reporter [africanu@joongang.co.kr] |
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