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| Friends of Yoon Chang-ho, who was killed by a drunk driver in Busan last year, comfort his mother at Busan District Court, Wednesday, after the offender was sentenced to a six-year prison term./ Yonhap |
By Jung Hae-myoung
Busan District Court jailed a 27-year-old man for six years, Wednesday, after finding him guilty of hitting a soldier on leave with his car while driving under the influence of alcohol. The soldier, Yoo Chang-ho, died in hospital shortly after the incident.
The case drew attention after Yoon's friends petitioned for heavier punishment for drunk drivers, prompting lawmakers to seek to revise relevant regulations.
"He did not do pay attention while he was to driving, and the results were tragic," the court said. "Stern punishment is inevitable, as the family of the deceased strongly demands it and there is social consensus for heavy punishment for drunk driving."
After the verdict, Yoon's father hinted that he wanted heavier punishment, saying, "I respect the court's decision, but I doubt the punishment will appease the public sentiment."
He indicated the prosecution would appeal.
During the hearings, it was found that just before hitting Yoon, Park was trying to touch a woman sitting in the passenger seat. His lawyer claimed Park should be punished for violating the Traffic Law, not for drunk driving. Being found guilty of the former would significantly lower the length of any prison term.
Angered by Park's defense argument, saying he was trying to get leniency by avoiding responsibility and without repenting, the prosecution requested a 10-year prison term, instead of the eight years it previously asked for. The court also refused to accept Park's claim and tried him for drunk driving.
Park had a blood alcohol content of 0.181 percent when he hit Yoon and his friend at Haeundae in Busan, Sept. 25. Yoon, who had been serving with the Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army (KATUSA), was declared brain dead 46 days after being struck by Park's vehicle that sent him flying 15 meters through the air to land on concrete.
Yoon's death led to a revision of the relevant law, now called the Yoon Chang-ho Act, mandating heavier punishment and stricter criteria for drunk driving. The revised regulation was not applied to Park because the incident occurred before the revision.
