Attempted Driver Switch in Drunk Driving Case... High School Student Fined 10 Million Won

Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch Sentences Fine
"Worried Because Not Like a Student... Considering First Offense"

A high school student who was caught driving a motorcycle under the influence and shortly after was again caught driving a passenger car under the influence was sentenced to a fine.

On the 20th, Judge Kim Dohyung, Chief Judge of Criminal Division 1 at Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch, announced that he sentenced A (19) to a fine of 10 million KRW for violating the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving) and property damage charges without detention.

A was prosecuted for driving a 125cc motorcycle under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.135% for about 200 meters on a road in Wonju, Gangwon Province, at 5:44 a.m. on May 26 last year. Additionally, about 40 days later, at 1:08 a.m. on July 7 of the same year, A was caught driving a passenger car for about 165 meters on a road in Wonju during a DUI checkpoint. According to the indictment, A's blood alcohol concentration at that time was 0.156%.

Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch Photo by Yonhap News

During the DUI checkpoint process, it was revealed through investigation and trial that A even attempted to switch drivers. Separately from the drunk driving charges, A is also charged with breaking a light installed on a parking lot wall in Wonju by hitting it at 2:07 a.m. on June 24 of the same year.

Judge Kim stated, "It is concerning that the defendant, a high school student, showed an immature attitude by being caught driving under the influence again after the motorcycle DUI checkpoint and even attempting to switch drivers. However, considering that the defendant is a juvenile and a first-time offender, that the property damage victim has reached a settlement and is seeking leniency for the defendant, and other sentencing conditions, a fine was chosen."

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