Japanese Media Highlights South Korea's Drunk Driving Problem
In Seoul, a drunk driver struck a Japanese mother and daughter who were visiting as tourists, resulting in one fatality. Japanese media have pointed out that "the number of drunk driving accidents in South Korea is six times higher than in Japan."
On November 4, TV Asahi reported, "A Japanese mother and daughter were involved in an accident at a popular tourist destination in Seoul," adding, "The driver had a blood alcohol concentration high enough for license revocation, and the vehicle sped over the sidewalk and flower bed, crashing into a park."
TV Asahi also released CCTV footage from the scene at the time of the incident. The video shows a vehicle suddenly rushing toward the mother and daughter as they cross a crosswalk.
The outlet stated, "The number of drunk driving cases detected in South Korea exceeds 130,000 annually, which is six times that of Japan. Considering that South Korea's population is about half that of Japan, this is an even more significant figure," and added, "Over the past five years, drunk driving accidents in South Korea have exceeded 70,000 cases."
The report continued, "Although the Korean police are releasing videos of drunk driving crackdowns and urging the public to be cautious, accidents continue to occur."
The media outlet also shared interviews with Seoul residents regarding drunk driving. Citizens commented, "I think the laws are too lenient, which leads to a high rate of repeat offenses," "There is still a widespread perception that short-distance drunk driving is acceptable," and "Unlike in Japan, it is a problem that passengers or those who provide alcohol are not punished."
The outlet concluded, "This tragedy, which occurred in the heart of Seoul, serves as a stark reminder of the seriousness of drunk driving for both South Korea and Japan."
The police are cracking down on drunk driving and vehicles violating stop lines. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
On November 2, near Dongdaemun Station in Seoul, a Japanese tourist mother and daughter were struck by a car while crossing a crosswalk. As a result of the accident, the woman in her 50s was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest but ultimately passed away, while her daughter in her 30s sustained a leg injury and is receiving treatment.
Investigations revealed that the driver, identified as A, was intoxicated while driving an electric vehicle and struck the Japanese mother and daughter as they were crossing the street at the Heunginjimun intersection.
The mother and daughter had arrived from Osaka on November 1 for a three-day, two-night trip to South Korea. It is reported that the daughter had arranged the trip as a gesture of filial piety.
A was arrested at the scene and is awaiting a pretrial detention hearing.
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