Suspended Sentence for Unlicensed Driver Borrowing Car and License... Friends Who Lent Them Fined 1 Million Won

Suspended Sentence with Imprisonment

A man in his 40s who was caught driving without a license despite having his license revoked due to drunk driving, and who presented another person's driver's license to the police, was sentenced to a suspended prison term by the court.

(This photo is not directly related to the article.) [Photo source=Pixabay]

On the 16th, Yonhap News reported that Judge Eom Sang-moon of the Suwon District Court Criminal Division 3 sentenced Mr. A, who was indicted on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act (driving without a license) and forgery of official documents, to six months in prison with a two-year suspension of the sentence. The court also ordered him to attend 40 hours of law-abiding driving lectures.

Mr. A is accused of driving a Kona vehicle belonging to his acquaintance Mr. B without a license on a road in Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, at around 9:05 a.m. on December 21 last year. When stopped by the police and asked to present his driver's license, he presented the driver's license of another acquaintance, Mr. C, as if it were his own.

It was investigated that after his license was revoked due to drunk driving, Mr. A borrowed the car from Mr. B and the driver's license from Mr. C, and was in possession of them. Ultimately, Mr. B, who lent the vehicle knowing that Mr. A's license was revoked, was fined 1 million won for aiding and abetting unlicensed driving under the Road Traffic Act, and Mr. C, who lent the driver's license, was fined 1 million won for aiding and abetting forgery of official documents.

Judge Eom stated, "Despite having his license revoked due to drunk driving, he drove without a license and even committed forgery of official documents, which are unfavorable circumstances." However, he added, "I took into consideration favorable circumstances such as his full admission of the crime, apparent remorse, and no prior criminal record involving imprisonment or heavier punishment."

Kim Ho-jung in front of the press last May [Photo by Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, incidents involving suspected drunk drivers causing accidents and fleeing the scene have been occurring repeatedly, raising concerns. At around 4:35 a.m. on the 14th, a man in his 30s driving a Porsche sports utility vehicle (SUV) crashed into a streetlight while driving on a six-lane road in front of Haeundae Beach. The driver fled the scene immediately after the accident by taking a taxi but was caught by the police 6 hours and 30 minutes later. A breathalyzer test conducted long after the accident showed he was heavily intoxicated, with a blood alcohol concentration at the license revocation level (0.08% or higher).

In addition, Mr. D, who caused an accident by hitting a motorcycle while driving under the influence in Dohwa-dong, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, fled but was caught by the police, and former soccer player Mr. E was arrested in Gangnam, Seoul, after causing a drunk driving accident and fleeing home.