YouTuber Avoiding Drunk Driving Chase
30s Man Dies in Collision with Cargo Truck
Renewed Controversy Over 'Private Sanctions'
A vehicle engulfed in flames after a rear-end collision while being chased by a drunk driving hunter YouTuber. [Photo by Gwangju Gwangsan Fire Station, Yonhap News]
A male driver in his 30s, fleeing from a YouTuber filming a drunk driving chase, crashed into a truck and died.
On the 24th, Yonhap News reported, "At 3:50 a.m. on the 22nd, a mid-30s man identified as Mr. A was driving a passenger car that collided with a large truck parked on the roadside in Sanwol-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju." As a result of the accident, Mr. A's vehicle was completely burned, and although he was taken to the hospital, he died.
It was understood that on the day of the accident, Mr. A was fleeing from a so-called 'drunk driving hunter' YouTuber who was pursuing him while questioning whether he was driving under the influence. The YouTuber had reported Mr. A to the police as a suspected drunk driver and was live streaming online while tracking his movements. At that time, two other vehicles driven by the YouTuber's subscribers were also following at a certain distance.
The accident scene where Mr. A died was discovered by police who responded to the drunk driving suspicion report. After reviewing road CCTV footage, the police confirmed that the distance between Mr. A and the YouTuber's vehicle was about 2 km just before the accident. The police explained, "There is no evidence that the YouTuber closely chased the vehicle."
The police have classified the YouTuber as a witness and are investigating the exact circumstances of the accident. If any criminal charges against the YouTuber emerge during the process in which the chase target died, further measures will be taken.
"Why the YouTuber?"... The private sanction controversy reignites
This accident has reignited the controversy over 'private sanctions.' Online, there is heated debate over whether YouTubers chasing suspected drunk drivers are 'whistleblowers for the public good or private enforcers seeking personal gain.'
Similar controversies occurred earlier this year. In January, an incident took place in the entertainment district of Cheomdan District, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, where a drunk driver caught by the police and a subscriber of a YouTuber got into a physical altercation. The driver caused a disturbance by splashing bottled water, claiming he was caught because of the YouTuber's report. When the incident became known, netizens showed mixed reactions to the YouTuber's actions.
Meanwhile, private sanctions can be punishable as defamation. According to the current Information and Communications Network Act, publicly revealing facts with the intent to defame can result in imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won. There is also a risk of innocent victims suffering from wrongful exposure due to inaccurate information.
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