50s Sent to Prosecution for Causing Death of Two-Year-Old in Jeonju School Zone... First Accident under 'Minsik Law'

A traffic safety sign for a children's protection zone installed in front of an elementary school in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] A driver who fatally struck a two-year-old child with a car while making an illegal U-turn in a school zone has been referred to the prosecution.

On the 19th, Jeonbuk Jeonju Deokjin Police Station announced that they had booked A (53) without detention on charges of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Crimes (Min-sik's Law) and sent him to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment.

The police had previously applied for an arrest warrant for A on the same charges, but the court dismissed it, stating that there was room for dispute over the establishment of the crime.

A is accused of hitting and killing B (2) with his sport utility vehicle (SUV) in a school zone in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju City, at around 12:15 p.m. on May 21.

At the time of the accident, A is known to have caused the accident while making an illegal U-turn on a road without a central divider.

B’s mother was also at the scene but was unable to prevent the accident.

Immediately after the accident, B was taken to a nearby hospital but ultimately died while receiving treatment.

Police investigation revealed that B had been standing with his mother at a bus stop near the school zone and went down onto the road alone, resulting in the accident.

According to the National Forensic Service's analysis, the speed of A’s vehicle at the time of the accident was between 9 and 18 km/h.

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