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By Jun Ji-hye
A drunk driving case of a Chinese diplomat posted in Gwangju has been transferred to the prosecution as the police concluded his case was not subject to diplomatic immunity.
The Gwangju Seobu Police Station said Monday the consul at the Chinese Consulate General in the city, who had been caught driving under the influence of alcohol, had claimed diplomatic immunity, which protects diplomats and their families against prosecution under the host country's laws.
But the police did not recognize the consul's drunk driving as related to official affairs, which is one of requisites for diplomatic immunity, and transferred the case to the prosecution the same day to be handled as a violation of the Road Traffic Act.
On June 20, the consul was found to have been driving his car while drunk for about 50 minutes from 1:30 a.m. on that day.
Police intercepted the consul in an underground parking lot of an apartment after a member of the public reported the Chinese national to police for suspected drunk driving.
At the time, the consul's blood alcohol content was 0.119 percent, which is high enough for the revocation of his driver's license. The legal limit in Korea is 0.03 percent.
After being arrested by police, the consul claimed diplomatic immunity by saying that his drunk driving was related to official duties as he was on his way back after meeting a Chinese national who had been hospitalized.
Police, however, concluded the consul's drunk driving was not related to his official affairs subject to diplomatic privilege after discussing the issue with the foreign affairs ministry, and sent the case to the prosecution.
Despite the police's conclusion, however, it is unlikely that the consul will see any actual legal repercussion.
Earlier in May, the wife of Belgian Ambassador to Korea Peter Lescouhier assaulted a clothing shop employee but avoided legal action as she maintained her diplomatic immunity.
