After overnight snowfall and a cold wave caused roads to freeze, about 100 vehicles were involved in a chain collision in the Gyeonggi region, resulting in 17 people suffering injuries. The accident led to road closures, creating severe traffic congestion during the morning commute.
According to police and fire authorities on the 14th, on that morning, a total of three incidents involving 105 vehicles in multiple collisions occurred on the Goyang City Jayuro and the Seoul-Munsan Expressway, injuring 16 people. Around 5:15 a.m., 44 vehicles, including trucks, buses, and passenger cars, collided successively near the Goyang City Ilsanseo-gu Jayuro Gusan IC heading toward Paju. Fire authorities reported that this involved four instances of six-vehicle collisions, one instance of three-vehicle collisions, six instances of two-vehicle collisions, and five single-vehicle accidents. Drivers suffered minor abrasions, with one driver of a 16-ton truck sustaining injuries and being transported to a hospital.
Around 5:50 a.m., a multi-vehicle collision involving 43 vehicles occurred near the Goyang Junction on the Seoul-Munsan Expressway heading toward Munsan. Some roads were closed for cleanup, leading to traffic congestion extending about 3 kilometers back to the Goyang Rest Area.
In the midst of the congestion, around 6:40 a.m. another collision involving 18 vehicles occurred near the Heungdo IC, which is behind the Goyang Rest Area on the Seoul-Munsan Expressway. One person was seriously injured and 14 others sustained minor injuries, necessitating their transfer to a nearby hospital. The Seoul-Munsan Expressway experienced traffic backups in the Munsan direction throughout the morning due to the effects of the two accidents.
Traffic accidents presumed to be caused by road icing occurred in various places in southern Gyeonggi Province. Around 6:35 a.m., seven vehicles were involved in a chain collision on a two-lane road in Sangnok-gu, Ansan City. One driver complained of neck pain and is receiving treatment at a hospital.
Around 8:05 a.m., vehicles traveling on a three-lane road in Osan-dong, Hwaseong City, lost control and were involved in a ten-vehicle pileup after encountering icy conditions. Around the same time, another collision involving five vehicles occurred on a side road in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon City. No injuries were reported from either accident.
To respond to the incidents, authorities imposed complete road closures in some areas, causing significant congestion for commuters. Efforts were underway to clear the accident sites and spread calcium chloride on the icy roads. Police gradually opened one lane out of three on the Jayuro from Isanpo IC to Gusan IC and two lanes out of three on the Seoul-Munsan Expressway to restore vehicle flow.
Police and fire authorities cited black ice, formed by the overnight snowfall and cold wave, as the cause of the accidents. Black ice is a phenomenon where snow or rain freezes into a thin layer of ice on the road, making it hard to identify due to its black appearance from soot and dust, hence being referred to as 'the assassin on the road.' Some areas of Gyeonggi Province experienced snow or rain that morning, with the lowest temperatures recorded between minus 2 degrees to plus 1 degree.
The Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters emphasized that, as accidents presumed to be caused by winter road icing had consecutively occurred, drivers must be particularly cautious while driving. A fire authority representative noted, "Black ice is difficult to identify visually, and sudden braking or turning can make vehicle control challenging, significantly increasing the risk of major accidents," and advised, "In areas of ice risk such as tunnel entrances, overpasses, and shaded curves, drivers should proceed slowly and minimize brake usage."