[Sportschosun Reporter Jo Yoon-sun] The horrific truth behind the Gyeongseo Middle School field trip bus disaster was revealed, evoking deep sorrow.
The October 1 episode of Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)'s 'The Story of the Day When You Bite Your Tail (Kkokkomu)'—directed by Ahn Yoon-tae, Lee Keun-byeol and Moon Chi-young and hereinafter referred to as 'Kkokkomu'—focused on 'The Nightmare Field Trip.' Broadcaster Jeong Yi-rang, Oneus's Keonhee and Bolbbalgan4's Ahn Ji-young appeared as listeners and followed the trail of the tragic incident. The episode recorded ratings of 3.0% in both the Seoul metropolitan area and nationwide, ranking first in its time slot among current-affairs and entertainment programs and proving its strong popularity. (According to Nielsen Korea.)
In October 1970, more than 470 third-year students and 11 teachers from Gyeongseo Middle School in Seoul's Mapo District set out on a day trip to Hyeonchungsa Shrine in South Chungcheong Province. The nine classes were divided among seven buses, resulting in severe overcrowding, with more than 70 people packed into each bus designed to carry 39 passengers. Bus No. 3, carrying Classes 3 and 4, was especially overcrowded, with 77 students crammed inside.
At 4 p.m., while returning from the trip, Bus No. 3 entered a railroad crossing on the road toward Cheonan. Although the warning alarm was sounding, the driver did not stop. Instead, he pressed the accelerator and tried to force the bus through, causing it to collide with a train. The train pushed the bus for approximately 80 meters before finally coming to a stop. The engine and fuel tank at the front of the bus exploded, and flames quickly engulfed the entire vehicle.
The rescue operation was beset by difficulty. The bus was severely crushed, while protective bars over the windows blocked most escape routes and left many students trapped inside. Nearby residents and students from the buses behind rushed to help, breaking the windows with stones, but they could only stand helplessly before the fierce flames and smoke. The disaster claimed 46 lives, including the bus driver, while 32 people were injured at the scene. It was recorded as the most horrific bus disaster since Korea's liberation.
Listener Keonhee expressed his sorrow, saying, "If it had been me, I would have panicked." Jeong Yi-rang could not hold back her tears, saying, "After having a child, the accident no longer feels like someone else's problem." Ahn Ji-young also expressed her distress, saying, "It's horrific," and, "They went with excitement, but it became such a painful memory that I wish I could forget it."
In addition to the reckless overcrowding, the poor conditions at the site were cited as a cause of the disaster. Although the crossing had up to 5,000 vehicles pass through it each day, it had been left as a Class 3 crossing without even a barrier or a crossing attendant. The Korea National Railroad had left a rice mill that obstructed visibility in place because of inadequate consultations with the Ministry of Construction. It was also found to have worsened the risk of disaster by refusing to upgrade the crossing's classification, citing a lack of budget.
Facts that had been distorted at the time of the disaster were also corrected for the first time through 'Kkokkomu.' The media had reported that the teachers abandoned the students or fled after the accident. However, survivors who were students at the time unanimously said that this was completely untrue, insisting, "The teachers' reputations must be restored." The truth—that the teachers in charge had gone to look for a student who was late, while Bus No. 3 departed on its own without authorization and before they could board—was finally revealed to the public through 'Kkokkomu,' 56 years later.
A temporary morgue was set up at Gyeongseo Middle School at dawn the following day. The victims' bodies had been so severely damaged that even their families could not recognize them. Staff from the National Forensic Service (NFS) were dispatched to conduct dental examinations, eventually identifying all 45 of the deceased and returning them to their families. Later, another student died while receiving hospital treatment, bringing the final number of student fatalities to 46. After seeing a photograph of the joint funeral, Jeong Yi-rang was unable to continue speaking, saying, "This must never happen again."
The graduation album published the following year featured the faces of the victims who never returned, along with the heartbreaking phrase, "Vanished Stars." One student who had suffered severe burns over his entire body and cut off contact with others because of trauma miraculously reunited with former classmates on television after 56 years. Every October, the surviving students visit the graves of their friends who passed away and continue to heal their pain through their enduring friendship.
Jang Hyun-sung, Jang Sung-kyu and Jang Doyoun emphasized that they hoped the Gyeongseo Middle School disaster would never be forgotten, saying, "We have experienced other major disasters since this tragedy. The tragedy of children being sacrificed because of adults' mistakes must never happen again."
Meanwhile, 'Kkokkomu' is a program in which three storytellers study topics themselves and share what they have learned and felt with their respective 'story friends' one-on-one in everyday settings. It airs every Thursday at 10:20 p.m. on SBS.
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
