Appeals Court Upholds 5-Year Term for Drunk Driver Who Killed Japanese Tourist

A man in his 30s who struck a Japanese mother and daughter while driving drunk in central Seoul, killing one of them, was sentenced to five years in prison by an appeals court, which upheld his original sentence.

The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Appeals Division 4-2, presided over by Senior Judge Eom Cheol, dismissed the appeal filed by the defendant, surnamed Seo, on the 17th. Seo had been charged with violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, including dangerous driving resulting in death. The lower court had sentenced him to five years in prison and ordered the forfeiture of the seized Tesla vehicle.

"This was an accident in which the defendant, without slowing down at one of the largest intersections in Seoul, struck the victims who were crossing diagonally and caused a death," the court said. "We could find no indication that he braked or took any other measure in the lead-up to the accident."

The court added: "We can only conclude that he was driving without being aware of his own condition. He appears to be deeply remorseful, but considering the sheer illegality of his conduct, he does not appear to be a candidate for a reduced sentence or leniency."

Seo was charged with drunk driving near Dongdaemun Station in Seoul on the night of Nov. 2 last year after drinking three bottles of soju, when he struck a Japanese mother and daughter who were crossing the street. The mother, in her 50s, died in the accident, and the daughter sustained injuries requiring six weeks of recovery. The two had arrived in South Korea for a three-day trip and were hit on their first day, according to reports.