A school zone in Seoul. The image is not directly related to this article. [Yonhap]
A school zone in Seoul. The image is not directly related to this article. [Yonhap]

A 7-year-old child was struck and killed by a turning vehicle while crossing a crosswalk in a school zone in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province.

The Gimpo Police Station said Friday it had arrested a suspect in their 40s, identified only as A, on charges of causing death in a school zone under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, and is conducting an investigation.

A is accused of striking a 7-year-old elementary school student, identified only as B, with an SUV at around 3:26 p.m. Thursday in a school zone in Geolpo-dong, Gimpo.

Police said the investigation found that A hit B while making a right turn, as B was crossing the street in accordance with a pedestrian signal.

B had just finished school and was crossing the street on the way to a hagwon when the accident occurred.

Police said A claimed to have "not seen B properly," adding that they are investigating the precise circumstances after determining that A had failed to stop at the crosswalk in violation of the traffic signal and had not kept a proper lookout ahead.

Police said they plan to seek a detention warrant for A after completing further investigation.


jshan@heraldcorp.com