In 2020, 28-year-old Taiwanese student Zeng Yilin died after being hit by a drunk driving car that violated traffic lights.
The assailant driver, Mo Kim, was intoxicated and had an accident while driving 30 km faster than the speed limit.
Kim, who also had a criminal record of drunk driving in 2012 and 2017, was handed over to trial because the 'Act on aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol twice or more' was applied.
The first and second trial courts sentenced them to eight years in prison, two years longer than the prosecution's request.
I thought the sentence would be finalized in the Supreme Court, but a variable has arisen.
The case was reversed and remanded by the Supreme Court with the Constitutional Court ruling that there is no limit on the interval between drunk driving and that it is unconstitutional to impose aggravated punishment without considering the severity of the violation, such as blood alcohol level.
[Park Seon-gyu ｜ Zeng Yi-lin's friend (at the time of the Supreme Court sentence)]
It's very sad that the decision was made unconstitutional.
I feel discouraged and hopeless.”
As the ruling was unconstitutional in the applied law, the new judge was interested in the sentencing, and the court maintained the same 8-year prison sentence as before
. It is a crime with a very high risk of infringing on property, and we have given priority to the social consensus that calls for strong punishment
.
”
｜ Victim's father]
"My daughter's death has caused us a lot of pain, and it is not over. I hope today's ruling will help more families."
[Zengshi ｜ Victim's mother]
"For the safety of yourself and others, please do not drive under the influence."
This is SBS Han So-hee.