Promising runner declared brain dead after being hit by truck during marathon in South Korea

People warm up before a race. Illustration photo by Pexels

The athlete, a member of Cheongju Sports Team who had a personal best of 2 hours and 13 minutes, was competing in the Yeokjeon Marathon in Okcheon-gun, a county in North Chungcheong Province, on Monday.

According to North Chungcheong Police, the incident occurred at 10:08 a.m. when a 1-ton truck, driven by an 80-year-old man, suddenly changed lanes, drove over a police car before striking the athlete who was in his designated lane, Chosun reported.

The runner was rushed to a hospital in Daejeon, where he was pronounced brain dead after six hours of emergency treatment.

The driver, who was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, told police he could not see ahead and changed lanes to make way for other vehicles. He was prosecuted and later met the victim's parents at the police station to express his remorse.

The accident has raised serious questions about race safety. The Yeokjeon Marathon only blocks one of two lanes, and there was no physical barrier separating the runners from traffic. Police estimate the truck hit the athlete at approximately 57 kph.

Yeokjeon Marathon, a three-day competition, was immediately canceled.

The incident shocked South Korea. Actor Jin Tae-hyun, a known running enthusiast, posted a tribute, expressing disbelief at the safety standards.

"He was a passionate up-and-coming runner who completed this year’s Donga Marathon in 2 hours and 13 minutes. It is said that only one lane of a two-lane road was controlled at the official provincial marathon competition," Jun wrote on social media. "Please pray for the runner, his family, and his teammates."

According to data from the police, the number of marathons held in South Korea has surged from 19 in 2020 to 254 last year. In that same period, 179 marathon-related accidents were recorded, with 63 of those (40%) occurring last year alone, SGsegye reported.

This follows a similar incident in October last year, when another male athlete was hit by a car during the national sports festival.

South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has stated it will revise the National Sports Development Act to expand safety responsibilities for local governments and add penalties for non-compliance.