"We are accepting reports from the time of the accident." Family of 20s KAIST runner seeks witnesses: "Even minor information..."

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The family of the late Yoo Ji-won, a running influencer who collapsed and died just 500 meters before the finish line during a half marathon held in central Seoul, has launched a search for witnesses who were present at the scene at the time of the accident. The family is appealing for reports from citizens who witnessed the entire process, including the on-site emergency treatment administered immediately after he collapsed and his subsequent transport.

A post by Yoo's bereaved family, who suffered a tragedy while participating in the 2026 Seoul Race Half Marathon held on the 11th of last month, was published on an online community on the 3rd and is spreading widely.

Yoo, a man in his 20s who was a graduate student at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and active as a running influencer, suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed approximately 500 meters before the finish line during the race, ultimately passing away. The exact cause of death has not yet been clearly determined.

A person identifying herself as Yoo's aunt stated in an online post, "My nephew suddenly collapsed at a point about 500 meters from the finish line and eventually passed away." She added, "We want to clearly understand the exact circumstances before and after the accident, as well as the emergency measures taken on site, the arrival of the ambulance, and the process of his transfer to the hospital."

She continued, "We are waiting for contact from anyone who was near the finish line at the time of the accident or who directly witnessed the process from the moment my nephew collapsed through the emergency rescue and transport by the paramedics." She urged, "Even minor information, such as photos or videos taken at the scene or memories of related situations, becomes a very valuable clue for the bereaved family left behind."

Additionally, A stated that they would strictly protect the identity and personal information of reporters to verify the facts, and included her email address.

As this story became known, online voices emerged pointing out that it is necessary to clearly determine whether the safety management and emergency response by the event organizers were appropriate. One netizen argued, "Given the nature of marathon races, the 1st km section before the finish line is a place where exhaustion and safety accidents frequently occur, so rescue personnel should have been concentrated there." They added, "Doubts remain as to how quickly emergency personnel were deployed and whether they took appropriate measures immediately after the athlete collapsed. Therefore, the family's desire to verify cross-examinations from witnesses at the time, in addition to the organizers' explanation, is understandable."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original