South Korean travel YouTuber, 33, dies in hit-and-run in Bolivia

A South Korean YouTuber in his 30s who traveled the world by bicycle and documented his journeys on video has died in a traffic accident in Bolivia.

According to Bolivian broadcaster UNITEL on Thursday (local time), a 33-year-old South Korean man was struck and killed by a large freight truck while riding a bicycle in El Alto, Bolivia, at around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Witnesses attempted to help immediately after the collision, but the man died at the scene from severe injuries.

The truck driver fled the scene but was apprehended by police within hours. During questioning, the driver said he had not seen the bicycle.

The victim was identified as Cho Woo-jin, who ran the YouTube channel "Jinsseurebeul." Cho launched the channel in 2020 and had been recording his bicycle travels around the world. Cho had about 66,000 subscribers and had recently set out from Mexico on a journey through Latin America.

A close acquaintance of Cho announced his death through the YouTube channel. "Jinsseurebeul Cho Jin-woo, who was drawing a picture on the world map by bicycle, was involved in an accident while cycling in El Alto, Bolivia, on the morning of Nov. 4 (local time), when he was struck by a large freight truck and passed away," the acquaintance said.

"The driver who caused the accident fled the scene but was apprehended by police a few hours later," the acquaintance added, noting that local police are investigating the circumstances of the crash.

Cho's bereaved family is preparing for local funeral arrangements with the assistance of the South Korean Embassy in Bolivia. The acquaintance also asked anyone familiar with local conditions or able to assist the family to reach out.

The acquaintance closed with a message to Cho's followers: "I believe his journey was not a lonely one, thanks to the people he met on the road and the subscribers who cheered him on from beyond the screen. We are sincerely grateful to everyone who traveled alongside Jin-woo all this time."