Less Than Two Years After Kim Gi-woong's Inauguration, 8 Disciplined for Drunk Driving
Kim Warns "Strict No-Tolerance Punishment," Yet It Rings Hollow... "Will Implement Drastic Measures"
Public officials in Seocheon-gun, Chungnam, have been repeatedly caught driving under the influence during working hours and business trips, raising concerns about the collapse of public service discipline.
According to the county on the 17th, since the inauguration of Mayor Kim Ki-woong in the 8th civilian administration, eight officials have been disciplined for drunk driving in less than two years. This has led to criticism that the laxity in public service discipline has gone too far.
In particular, on the 4th, a level 6 public official was caught by the police driving under the influence in a state of severe intoxication during working hours in broad daylight. However, when the blood alcohol concentration measured at the scene reached the level for license cancellation, the official objected and underwent a blood test, but the recent blood test results also reportedly confirmed the license cancellation level.
Additionally, in May, a public official on a business trip to the Gyeongnam region was caught driving under the influence in a severely intoxicated state and was recently referred to the prosecution.
Furthermore, from 2022 until November of last year, six county office officials were caught for drunk driving and received disciplinary actions ranging from one to three months of suspension from the Chungnam Province Disciplinary Committee.
Mayor Kim declared at the 2022 Drunk Driving Eradication Self-Resolution Rally that "strict punishment will be enforced under a zero-tolerance policy," but repeated cases of drunk driving during working hours have led to criticism of Mayor Kim’s lack of leadership.
In a phone interview with Asia Economy, Mayor Kim said, “We will prepare special measures to eradicate drunk driving among employees.”
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