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Ladies' Code Accident, September 03, 2014 (Wed)

Ladies' Code's vehicle revealed to have been over speed limit. In the latest report by YTN, the media company reports that Ladies Code's van was driving with 137 km/h (85 mph) when the speed limit on the road was only 100 km/h (62 mph). At the time there was a heavy rain. This was a disaster waiting to happen. According to the earlier reports, the group was returning to Seoul after attending the recording of “KBS Open Concert” in Daegu (and thus completing promotions for "Kiss Kiss"), when at 1:30AM (KST) around Suwon, a vehicle in front of the group's van began skidding due to the rain, and "the back tire of the group's van [fell off]" as the group's manager (who was driving the van) attempted to avoid a collision with the other vehicle. Rainy conditions made the road slippery, which caused the group's van to hydroplane.

When the car hydroplanes

and skid several times before crashing into a protective wall in the vicinity of the Singal Junction on the Yeongdong Expressway. It was reported that none of the van's airbags deployed at the time of impact and the girls not wearing their seatbelts. Sadly the fatal crash claimed the lives of EunB and Rise, with member Sojung also critically injured and Ashley and Zuny were fortunately sustained minor injuries.

The manager of Ladies’ Code is reportedly being charged by police for involuntary vehicular manslaughter, according to a report by Star News.

I think people guessed this when it was first announced. It's terrible to read but also way too predictable. Korean companies work their idols constantly, they work very long hours constantly moving from locations to locations for performances on tight schedules. Managers are expected to deliver idols on time to each of their many scheduled events which puts pressure on them to drive at unsafe speeds.

There are reports that most Managements companies uses
siren lights on idols' vans in order to illegally speed through traffic.
Media outlet DongA Ilbo has reported on September 24th that 52 people were being charged. One of them is a 28-year-old road manager 'A,' who is said to manage a top girl group. He uses a van with siren lights in order to make it to the girl group's appointments on time. He explained, "Because of planned schedules, we can't help it. There was even one time when we sped back and forth between Seoul and Busan for four events in a single day." A used sirens on his van to swiftly move through traffic. He stated, "By dashing through after opening up the road using lights and sirens, we are able to barely make it on time."

We can blame the manager driving but he's the product of a system that pushes unreasonable demands on workers. It won't change until Korean culture changes in the direction of more worker rights and a greater focus on improved lifestyle.

There has been more than one incident in the past of managers causing accidents while driving idols to events.

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