"Younger Sister Paralyzed, Perpetrator Lives Normal Life" Sister of 'Jinju High School Girl' Launches Angry Petition

Photo by SBS '8 o'clock News' broadcast screen capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] A national petition demanding severe punishment for the driver involved in an accident in Jinju, Gyeongnam, where a city bus collided with a suddenly merging vehicle, causing a high school girl on the bus to fall and become paralyzed from the neck down, has been posted.

On the 18th, a petition titled "Petition Regarding the Jinju High School Girl Traffic Accident Resulting in Paralysis" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. The petitioner identified herself as the older sister of the victimized high school girl.

The petitioner stated, "I am raising this national petition to reveal the injustice suffered by my sister, who became paralyzed from the neck down due to a sudden traffic accident, and to appeal for strong punishment against the perpetrator who has not once offered a sincere apology even six months after the accident." She added, "Furthermore, I hope for a revision of the traffic accident punishment law, as the punishment for perpetrators is too lenient compared to the injuries sustained by the victims."

According to the petitioner, the 19-year-old victim, Ms. A, boarded a city bus at a bus stop in Hadae-dong, Jinju, Gyeongnam, at around 5:30 p.m. on December 16 last year. Just as Ms. A boarded, a Rexton vehicle in the second lane aggressively merged to make a right turn and collided with the bus carrying the victim.

Due to the impact, Ms. A, who was just about to sit down, lost her balance and was thrown from the very back of the bus to the fare box next to the driver’s seat, hitting her head. She suffered fractures to the 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae, resulting in nerve damage and was diagnosed with full-body paralysis.

On the 18th, a post urging severe punishment for the perpetrator of the 'Jinju high school girl total paralysis accident' that occurred in December last year was uploaded on the Blue House National Petition Board. Photo by Blue House National Petition post capture

The petitioner expressed, "The perpetrator did not get out of his vehicle even while my sister was being loaded into the ambulance, and even six months after the accident, he has neither visited her in the hospital nor asked for forgiveness." She continued, "In court, the perpetrator was quick to shift the blame onto the bus driver, and as soon as the trial ended, he immediately left the courtroom, not even giving our family a chance to talk."

She added, "My sister, who became paralyzed overnight because of the perpetrator, is living an indefinite hospital life, while the perpetrator is living a normal daily life. I believe the punishment is too light compared to the suffering the victims endure. Through this national petition, I hope the law will be strengthened so that perpetrators causing serious accidents receive strict punishment."

As of 2 p.m. on the same day, the petition had gained 11,164 supporters.

Meanwhile, the accident was also featured on the YouTube channel "Han Moon-cheol TV," run by traffic accident specialist lawyer Han Moon-cheol, on the 17th. Lawyer Han said, "Whether the Rexton is 100% at fault or if the bus shares some blame requires reviewing footage from the other vehicle and CCTV. However, it is true that the Rexton merged recklessly. This vehicle is much more at fault."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.