A sedan driven by the US soldier ran into the side of a mini-car driven by a South Korean woman at an intersection in Osan, about 60 kilometersmiles) south of Seoul on Friday, Yonhap news agency said, quoting eye-witnesses.

Kee Kyeong-Sun, 22, died on the spot and four others in her car were injured.

The alleged driver in the other car, Sergeant Jerry Olken, assigned to the US air base in Osan, ran away shortly after the accident with two fellow US soldiers who were his passengers.

He was arrested about five hours later by US military police as he was asleep in his barracks. He was in custody on charges of "leaving the scene of a vehicle accident causing fatality," US military authorities said.

"On behalf of the men and women serving in USFK (US forces in Korea), we express our sincere sorrow for the tragic and untimely death of Kee Kyeong-Sun," General Leon J. LaPorte, commander of the 37,000 US troops here, said in a statement.

"Our hearts go out in sympathy and condolence to her family and to all those touched by this loss. They will remain in our thoughts through this difficult time, and we pray for God's comfort to them," he said.

He said US military authorities would continue to "cooperate fully" with South Korean police in investigating the accident.

There was a wave of anti-US protests in South Korea last year after two US soldiers whose armored vehicle struck and killed two teenage Korean girls during a training mission were acquitted by a US military court.

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