<strong>YONGSAN GARRISON, Republic of Korea</strong> - Military Police will increase efforts to discourage drivers from making illegal turns into the Garrison following two serious accidents in three days this week.
A July 23 accident saw a driver make an illegal left turn into Yongsan Garrison. Left turns are forbidden because of the center bus lanes. Seoul bus routes have priority and normal traffic is not permitted on the red, marked lanes.
About 3 p.m. July 25 a second accident involving an American at the same location under similar circumstances occured. Military Police are investigating.
"The plan is for our Military Police to randomly monitor inbound traffic to Yongsan Gate No. 1 and the Camp Kim Gate," said USAG-Yongsan Emergency Services Director Ricky Oxendine. "If they observe a driver making the illegal turn, they will wait until they enter the installation, identify them and inform their chain of command."
[<strong><i>UPDATE: Pending a legal review, Garrison officials may take additional measures.</i></strong>]
"We are serious about putting a stop to these illegal left turns," Oxendine said. "All Yongsan drivers need to know what will happen if they are observed making an illegal left turn into Camp Kim and Yongsan Garrison."
When traveling from Camp Kim to Yongsan Garrison Gate No. 1 drivers should make a legal left turn at the Samgakji intersection and then a legal U-turn at the next intersection. Drivers can then make a right turn at Samgakji and a right turn into Gate No. 1. <a href="http://yongsan.korea.army.mil/images/togate1.jpg" target="_blank">Click for Pop-up Directions To Gate 1</a> (Map courtesy Google Earth)
When traveling from Yongsan Garrison to Camp Kim, officials advise going through the Samgakji intersection crossing the train tracks, taking a right at the next intersection, going straight through until the rail bridge and on to the main intersection. Drivers can take another right and are then positioned to pass the USO on the right and enter Camp Kim. <a href="http://yongsan.korea.army.mil/images/tocampkim.jpg" target="_blank">Click for Pop-up Directions To Camp Kim</a> (Map courtesy Google Earth)
"Our advice is to abide by the law and do not make illegal turns," he said. "We have had numerous accidents and must educate and inform all of our drivers."
Social Sharing