South Korean Police File Murder Charge Against Truck Driver Following Fatal Rally Collision in Jinju

Police in Jinju seek an arrest warrant for a truck driver facing murder charges after a union member was killed during a logistics center protest.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 22, 2026, 4:03 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Yonhap News Agency.

Escalation of Charges to Reckless Murder

Police investigators in South Korea have officially filed for an arrest warrant for a truck driver involved in a fatal collision at a cargo workers' rally in Jinju. While the driver was initially detained on suspicion of causing bodily injury, authorities have upgraded the primary charge to murder. The decision follows a preliminary investigation which concluded that the driver acted with extreme recklessness when he drove his 2.5-ton vehicle into a crowd of protesters gathered near a CU convenience store logistics center.

Details of the Fatal Encounter and Victims

The incident, which occurred on Monday, resulted in the death of a union member in his 50s and left two other participants injured. According to police statements, the deceased victim was rushed to a nearby hospital in a state of cardiac arrest but was later pronounced dead. A police official noted that the driver failed to stop the vehicle immediately after striking the victims, a factor that heavily influenced the decision to seek the more severe murder charge.

Conflicting Accounts of Intent and Movement

During police interrogation, the driver, who is not a member of the labor union, reportedly denied any intent to cause harm. He claimed that his actions were motivated by a desire to exit the logistics area quickly and that he did not realize the maneuvers would lead to a fatal outcome. However, authorities believe the collision was the direct result of the driver attempting to force his way through a group of protesters who were physically attempting to block the vehicle from leaving the site.