Army howitzer collides with civilian cars in fatal highway pileup crash

An Army self-propelled howitzer collided with two civilian cars trailing behind it on a national highway in Cheorwon, a central border region, last week, resulting in the death of one civilian driver, according to military officials. The incident occurred at approximately 7 p.m. on Thursday while the K55A1 howitzer was driving along the national route.

The crash claimed the life of the driver of the first car, while the second vehicle's driver sustained injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The artillery vehicle was returning from a training exercise, with seven soldiers aboard at the time of the crash. Several soldiers sustained minor abrasions.

Footage circulating on social media showed the crash took place on a dark stretch of road, with the howitzer's rear lights appearing barely visible. An Army official stated that a police investigation is underway to determine the exact cause and circumstances of the accident. The Army has committed to cooperating fully with the investigation.

Police are examining whether the howitzer was traveling at a speed that made its lights hard to see.