Grandson in Coma Wakes Up After 1 Year Since Accident
Daughter's Health Also Deteriorates Due to Long Caregiving Period
The story of actress Kim Young-ok (88), who has been caring for her grandson with a lower body disability caused by being hit by an unlicensed drunk driving vehicle for eight years, has been shared. Kim Young-ok, a veteran actress with 67 years since her debut, revealed her concerns about workaholism on Channel A's 'Oh Eun-young's Geumjjok Counseling Center' on the 6th, saying, "Work seems to be my everything. I've just lived by dealing with whatever comes my way." Kim Young-ok said, "To put it harshly, I lived like a beast. I abused myself too much."
The story of actress Kim Young-ok (88), who has been caring for her grandson for eight years after he became paraplegic due to being hit by an unlicensed drunk driver, has been shared. [Photo by Channel A's "Oh Eun-young's Geumjjok Counseling Center"]
Kim Young-ok, who is also in charge of household chores, said, "My grandson had an accident and got hurt, so I am taking care of him. Because he was seriously injured, I have been taking care of him for eight years now." Kim Young-ok's grandson was hit by an unlicensed drunk driving vehicle that crashed onto the sidewalk while he was hailing a taxi in 2015, narrowly escaping death. Kim Young-ok said, "I really resent that driver. He hit him with a stolen car while completely drunk, and my grandson almost died. He injured his spine, his lungs are weak, and he cannot use his lower body at all. It's very severe."
Kim Young-ok said she continues to cook while watching her grandson eat deliciously. She said, "My grandson likes to eat. I made him egg fried rice I saw on the internet, and he didn't say anything else but 'Grandma's cooking tastes the best.' I don't know if he says that to make me happy, but that's all he says. That phrase hurts my heart, so I keep moving. Because it's based on love, I take care of him; if he weren't my grandson, how could I care for him?"
Kim Young-ok's grandson once faced a life-threatening situation in 2015 when he was hit by an unlicensed drunk driver who ran onto the sidewalk while trying to catch a taxi. [Photo by Channel A's 'Oh Eun-young's Geumjjok Counseling Center']
After the traffic accident, her grandson was in a coma but regained consciousness after a year. Kim Young-ok's daughter’s health deteriorated due to long-term nursing care. Prioritizing her daughter's health, Kim Young-ok stepped in to take care of her grandson herself. She said, "I tell my daughter to endure well for the sake of her son. I'm most worried about my daughter's illness and pray every day. I believe time is the healer. I hope my grandson endures without any problems as he is."
Drunk Driving Traffic Accident Cases and Deaths Show a Decreasing Trend
Drunk driving is classified as one of the 12 major traffic violations under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling. According to Article 5-11 of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, if a person drives under conditions such as intoxication that make normal driving difficult and causes injury to another person, they are subject to imprisonment for one to fifteen years or a fine between 10 million and 30 million won. If the incident results in death, the offender faces life imprisonment or imprisonment for three years or more.
According to the National Police Agency's drunk driving traffic accident status, in 2022, there were 15,059 accidents, 214 deaths, and 24,261 injuries. The number of drunk driving traffic accidents has been decreasing: 19,517 in 2017, 19,381 in 2018, 15,708 in 2019, 17,247 in 2020, and 14,894 in 2021. Deaths have also decreased annually: 439 in 2017, 346 in 2018, 295 in 2019, 287 in 2019, and 206 in 2021.
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