Park Tae-hwan Hit by a Golf Ball, Suffers Retinal Injury... Appeals 'Non-Prosecution Disposition'

Prosecution: "Mr. Park Did Not Neglect Duty of Care"
Victim Claims "Inadequate Response from Mr. Park's Side," Appeals

Former national swimming representative Park Tae-hwan (34) caused an accident in which a man playing on an adjacent hole suffered retinal damage from a tee shot he hit.

Park Tae-hwan [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office decided not to prosecute Park on November 12 for charges of negligent injury, but the victim filed an appeal.

According to the prosecution, Park is accused of injuring the eye and head of victim A, who was on the adjacent hole, by mishitting a tee shot at a golf course in Gangwon Province in November 2021.

As a result of the accident, A suffered injuries including a torn retina and has been suffering from aftereffects such as decreased vision to this day.

Immediately after the accident, A filed a criminal complaint against Park and filed a lawsuit seeking damages.

However, the prosecution judged that it was difficult to see that Park neglected his duty of care. In the non-prosecution statement, the prosecution explained, "Considering that he acted according to the caddie's instructions and that 'slice' (a shot that curves to the right) is not uncommon in amateur games."

However, the victim's side claimed that Park's response was inadequate. The victim said he did not receive a direct apology or contact from Park.

It was also reported that Park's side tried to reach a settlement with the victim's side but failed to do so.

A representative of Park Tae-hwan's agency stated, "Regarding monetary demands such as compensation for damages, it is principle to handle them after the court's judgment, so there is nothing to say at this time."

Meanwhile, when a victim files a complaint against an offender but a non-prosecution decision such as dismissal is made, the victim can appeal and request a reinvestigation. Upon appeal, the High Prosecutors' Office reviews whether a reinvestigation is necessary and can either dismiss the appeal or order additional investigation.