Unlicensed Official with 8 Years of Drunk Driving and Refusal to Test Sentenced to Fine in Appeal Trial

A public official in his 50s who drove under the influence without a license received a reduced sentence in the appeal trial. The photo is unrelated to the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] A public official in his 50s who was prosecuted for fleeing the scene after causing an accident while driving under the influence without a license was sentenced to a fine in the appellate court.

On the 15th, the 3rd Criminal Division of Gwangju District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Taeho) sentenced public official A (59), who was prosecuted for violating the Road Traffic Act (refusal of breathalyzer test, unlicensed driving, failure to take measures after an accident), to a fine of 20 million won in the second trial. Previously, A was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation.

The court stated the sentencing rationale, saying, "Although A's crime is quite serious, considering that he reached an agreement with the victim and admitted his wrongdoing, and that A, who has served in public office for over 30 years and is nearing retirement, would face disadvantages such as loss of position and pension reduction if sentenced to imprisonment or higher, we impose a fine this time." The court also noted that it took into account A's role as the head of the household responsible for his family's livelihood and the family's plea for leniency.

It is known that A had his license revoked in 2012 after being caught driving under the influence and lived without a license for eight years. On April 22 of last year, around 12:30 a.m., A is accused of driving approximately 5 km without a license while intoxicated on a road in Naju-si, Jeollanam-do.

He was indicted for fleeing the scene after hitting and damaging a parked vehicle (unlicensed driving). On the same day, from 1:24 a.m. to 1:44 a.m., A was also prosecuted for refusing the breathalyzer test three times despite police requests after receiving a report and arriving at the scene (refusal of breathalyzer test).

In the first trial, the court said, "A shows weak compliance will, such as not obtaining a driver's license for a long time, and the nature of the crime is very bad," and sentenced him to imprisonment but suspended the execution, considering the disadvantages the sentence would cause to public official A.

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