The bus driver involved in a recent pileup on Yeongdong Expressway has admitted to dozing off on the road, said the police Wednesday.

The Gangwon Pyeongchang Police are seeking an arrest warrant for the driver surnamed Bang.

Bang had changed his statement twice. He initially gave false information that the accident occurred as he was changing lanes from the second lane to the first. However, recordings surfaced on social media showing that he had only driven on the first lane. 

Bang changed his statement, claiming that he had failed to see the cars in front.

Shortly after, another recording showed Bang’s bus veering between lanes, igniting accusations of his having dozed off while driving.

Bang then claimed that he had been reaching for some gum to curb his drowsiness, effectively admitting to having dozed.

According to the police, Bang said he had started feeling drowsy 7 to 9 kilometers away from the site where he crashed into other vehicles. He had been driving at 105 kilometers per hour, over the speed limit of 100 kph.

In the pileup of five cars, four women in their 20s died and 37 were injured. 

The day before the accident, Bang had driven his tourist bus for five hours from Seoul to the city of Gangneung. The trip had taken double the usual time due to weekend congestion coinciding with the summer holidays. 

The group on the bus arrived at their accommodation at around 9 p.m.

Bang said he dined with the mechanics who had been on the bus, but denied drinking.

He told the police he slept in the bus instead of at the accommodation because the latter was “unfamiliar” and “too noisy.” He woke up at around 6 a.m. and spent the day driving around tourist spots.

The 57-year-old had worked as a bus driver for 25 years. In 2014, he had his driver’s license revoked after being caught driving under the influence three times. Bang reacquired the license in March 2016.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)