The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Football player investigated over fatal car accident

By Yonhap

Published : Nov. 9, 2018 - 16:28

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SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island -- A South Korean football player admitted that his vehicle crossed the center line in a fatal car crash on Jeju Island earlier this week, the police said Friday.

Jeju United midfielder Lee Chang-min said that his car crossed the center line after making a sudden turn, according to Seogwipo Police Station. The police added that Lee said he isn't sure whether he was speeding at the time.

The police didn't reveal what led Lee to make a sudden turn. 


South Korea national football team midfielder Lee Chang-min (Yonhap) South Korea national football team midfielder Lee Chang-min (Yonhap)

Lee's Land Rover SUV collided with a Kia Morning city car that had been going in the opposite direction on the road in Seogwipo around 8:49 p.m. on Monday. The crash killed one and injured two people inside the Kia vehicle.

Lee and one passenger in the SUV weren't severely injured, according to the police, who also confirmed that Lee wasn't driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The police said it will continue its investigation to find out whether Lee was speeding on the road, which had a maximum speed limit set at 30 kilometers per hour due to sharp turns and curves.

"We have to collect more evidence and need to conduct more of the investigation on Lee" an official with Seogwipo Police Station said. "It will take some time, so it's not likely that this case will be transferred to the prosecutors this month."

Lee, 24, is one of the star players for the K League 1 side Jeju United. He has one goal in seven caps for South Korea and represented the country at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics and the 2017 EAFF East Asian Cup.