Rush hour chaos ensues after man hit and killed by KTX

A man was hit and killed by a KTX bullet train near Gasan Digital Complex Station in southern Seoul on Wednesday morning after he intentionally entered the railway tracks.

Passengers check their delayed train schedules on an electronic bulletin board at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Wednesday morning after a railway death near Gasan Digital Complex Station in southern Seoul led to major delays. [YONHAP]

A man was hit and killed by a KTX bullet train near Gasan Digital Complex Station in southern Seoul on Wednesday morning after he intentionally entered the railway tracks.

According to the police and state-run train operator Korail, the man was struck at around 5:30 a.m. by a train leaving Seoul for Busan.

Some 125 passengers were on board.

The train immediately stopped after the crash and resumed operations at 7:42 a.m.

Why and how the man entered the tracks were not revealed.

Police said they were investigating the man’s identity and motive.

More than 100 KTX and general trains, particularly Seoul subways on line 1, experienced major delays in the ensuing rush hour.

Korail urged commuters to use other modes of transportation, prompting commuters to scramble for buses or taxis.

BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]