Court Sentences Man to Five Years for Drunk Driving and Multiple Accidents

A man in his sixties has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Cheongju District Court for driving under the influence and causing three separate accidents. The presiding judge, Jeong Hee-cheol, announced the verdict on May 24, 2025.
The defendant, identified as A, was found guilty of operating a vehicle while heavily intoxicated from 2 PM to 6:35 PM on November 8, 2024, in the Seowon District of Cheongju. During this time, he collided with other vehicles on three occasions, resulting in injuries to four individuals, including the drivers and passengers, who suffered injuries requiring two to three weeks of recovery.
Following the accidents, A fled the scene without providing assistance and was apprehended by police later that evening at approximately 9:08 PM.
This was not A's first offense; he had been caught driving drunk just two days prior in Cheongju and had a previous record of a hit-and-run incident in September 2024 in Jongno, Seoul.
Judge Jeong noted that A showed a lack of remorse by continuing to drive recklessly after causing multiple accidents on the same day. The judge also considered the fact that the victims had not received any form of apology or restitution when determining the sentence.