Prosecution Seeks 2-Year Prison Sentence for Former West Power President in 'Late Kim Yong-gyun Death Case'... Sentencing on February 10 Next Year (Comprehensive)

The funeral hall at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the wake for the late Kim Yong-gyun, who died during maintenance inspection at Taean Thermal Power Plant in Chungnam on February 7, 2019, was held. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] Former and subcontracted company presidents indicted on charges including professional negligence resulting in death in connection with the death of the late Kim Yong-gyun (then 24 years old) have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 2 years to 1 year and 6 months.

It has been over three years since Kim died in an accident at the Korea Western Power Taean Thermal Power Plant in December 2018, and about 16 months since the prosecution brought the related parties to trial in August last year.

At the first trial sentencing hearing held on the 21st under the presiding of Judge Park Sang-kwon of the Criminal Division 2 at the Seosan Branch of Daejeon District Court, the prosecution requested a 2-year prison sentence for former Korea Western Power President Kim Byung-sook and a 1 year and 6 months prison sentence for former Korea Power Engineering President Baek Nam-ho, both charged with professional negligence resulting in death and violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act.

The prosecution also requested imprisonment ranging from 6 months to 2 years for seven other Korea Western Power officials indicted together, and fines ranging from 7 million KRW to 2 years imprisonment for five Korea Power Engineering officials. The prosecution additionally requested fines of 20 million KRW each for the two corporations, Korea Western Power and Korea Power Engineering.

The prosecution emphasized, "Most of the defendants have shown an attitude of not acknowledging responsibility even three years after the accident, saying things like 'We don't know why the victim died' or 'We never ordered such work.' In a society without reflection and responsibility, the eradication of industrial accidents and a safe working environment cannot exist, so their responsibility must be held accountable."

Kim’s mother, Kim Mi-sook, chairperson of the Kim Yong-gyun Foundation, said, "Yong-gyun died tragically alone in pitch darkness without proper safety training or adequate equipment, yet the companies shifted the blame for the accident onto him, killing him twice. I hope this trial will be an opportunity to uncover the truth about my son's death."

In their final statements, the defendants expressed, "We feel heartbroken and sorry to the bereaved family," but also appealed to the court to consider "the significant improvements made to the working environment after the accident."

Kim, a non-regular worker employed by subcontractor Korea Power Engineering at the Taean Thermal Power Plant, was found dead early morning on December 11, 2018, caught in a conveyor belt used for coal transport.

The first trial sentencing hearing for former President Kim and others is scheduled for 3 p.m. on February 10 next year.

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