Car crashes into pedestrians in South Korea, killing nine

Nine people were killed when a car crashed into pedestrians near a busy intersection in central Seoul on Monday, authorities said.

Four others were injured in the incident outside city hall, but their wounds were not life-threatening, said Kim Chun-soo, a senior fire department official.

The driver of the car claimed he lost control of the car when it suddenly accelerated, local news media reported. Kim Seong-hak, a public security official in central Seoul’s Jung-gu district, said authorities could not immediately confirm the reports, adding that police were investigating the driver.

He also said officials are investigating whether the driver was drunk or on drugs.

This is a development story.