Disciplinary action has been finalized against a current Incheon city council member who was caught twice for drunk driving and caused an accident within two months.
On the 21st, the Incheon City Council confirmed a 30-day suspension from attendance for independent council member Shin Chung-sik (Incheon Seo-gu 4) through a plenary vote. Among the 39 council members, 32 participated in the vote, with 26 in favor, finalizing the disciplinary action. There were 4 votes against and 2 abstentions.
Among the 39 Incheon city council members, 25 belong to the People Power Party, 12 to the Democratic Party of Korea, and 2 are independents. This is the first time since the council's establishment in 1991 that a council member has been disciplined. Types of disciplinary actions include ▲warning ▲public apology ▲suspension from attendance for up to 30 days ▲expulsion.
Shin was indicted without detention on charges of drunk driving after hitting another parked vehicle in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Seo-gu, Incheon, where he resides, at around 1:14 a.m. on February 16. Earlier, at around 12:50 a.m. on December 24 last year, he was caught by police for drinking and driving in the same underground parking lot. At that time, Shin had consumed alcohol and called a designated driver to the underground parking lot, but it was found that he drove after the driver left. His blood alcohol concentration was reported to be above 0.08%, the level for license cancellation.
Originally a member of the People Power Party, Shin voluntarily left the party on the 17th after the Incheon branch of the People Power Party held an ethics committee meeting and initiated disciplinary procedures due to his drunk driving. He continues to serve as a city council member as an independent. The ethics committee of the People Power Party Incheon branch ended its disciplinary process targeting party members following Shin’s departure.
The Incheon City Council announced that although Shin received a 30-day suspension from attendance, his council activity allowance will continue to be paid according to regulations.
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