Drunk Driving by Moon Dahye, The Car Involved in the Accident... Also Suspected of Running a Red Light

2021 GGM Online Pre-Reservation Purchase
Former President Moon Test Drives Casper No.1 Car

The 'Casper' involved in a drunk driving accident caused by Dahye, the daughter of former President Moon Jae-in, is understood to be a vehicle transferred by the former president. Former President Moon transferred the vehicle to Dahye in April. The Casper is a car manufactured by 'Gwangju Global Motors (GGM),' established as part of the Gwangju-type job policy. Dahye was found to have driven the car in a state of heavy intoxication, violating multiple traffic signals.

Former President Moon Jae-in and Moon Da-hye, daughter of former President Moon [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to multiple media reports, on the 5th at around 2:51 a.m., Dahye was driving under the influence in front of the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and collided with a taxi that was following her while changing lanes. CCTV footage captured Dahye’s Casper turning left with the left turn signal on while in the right-turn lane just before the accident.

At the three-way intersection where the accident occurred, to turn left, vehicles had to proceed in the first lane after receiving a left turn signal. However, Dahye’s vehicle was reported to have turned on the left turn signal while in the second lane. The second lane had a right-turn marking painted on the road surface. Because of this, vehicles coming from the opposite direction were seen avoiding Dahye’s car.

At the time, Dahye was driving the Casper, a compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) from Hyundai Motor Company, which is understood to have been transferred by former President Moon.

Former President Moon purchased the Casper from GGM through an online pre-order in January 2021 during his tenure. The Casper is designed by Hyundai and produced on consignment by GGM.

Additionally, former President Moon test-drove the first Casper during the handover ceremony. At that time, former Blue House spokesperson Park Kyung-mi stated, "The Casper was purchased by former President Moon for personal use," and "He plans to continue using it after his retirement." Although the first Casper went to another citizen who had pre-ordered online before the former president, he later received a Casper he ordered himself.

This Casper was transferred to Dahye in April. Four months later, in August, it was reportedly seized due to unpaid fines.

On October 6, 2021, then-President Moon Jae-in, accompanied by First Lady Kim Jung-sook, is receiving and test-driving the Casper produced through the 'Gwangju-type job' initiative within the Blue House premises. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, immediately after the drunk driving accident, the police measured Dahye’s blood alcohol concentration, which was confirmed to be 0.14%, a level that leads to license cancellation (0.08% or higher). The police have booked Dahye on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving).

The accident also caused ripples in the political sphere. Kim Jang-gyeom, a member of the People Power Party, wrote on Facebook, "Someone who lived with the Blue House said drunk driving is murder," adding, "No matter how many fallacies the father’s words have, some things must be heard." Former President Moon had previously stated at a senior secretaries’ meeting in October 2018, "Drunk driving accidents can be acts of murder, not mistakes."

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, responded to questions about the matter at a National Assembly press briefing on the 6th, saying, "(Drunk driving) is something that should never be done. Would the party’s position be any different?" but added, "There is nothing special to say."