Army howitzer hit from behind by two cars on Cheorwon highway, one dead

An Army self-propelled howitzer was hit from behind by two civilian cars on a national highway in Cheorwon, a town in South Korea's central border region. One driver died.

The crash happened at around 7 p.m. last Thursday, military officials said on Tuesday. The driver of the first car was killed. The driver of the second car was injured and rushed to hospital.

The K55A1 howitzer was returning from a training exercise with seven soldiers aboard. A few of them suffered minor abrasions.

Footage shared on social media shows a pitch-black stretch of road, with the howitzer's rear lights appearing to be hardly visible.

Police are checking whether the vehicle was travelling at a safe speed and following safety procedures, including operational guidelines. The National Forensic Service has been asked to examine the event data recorder, and investigators are analysing surveillance footage. They also plan to question the soldiers and commanders on board.

"We are investigating the exact cause of the accident while leaving all possibilities open," a police official said. The Army says it will cooperate fully with the investigation.