Prosecutors to Confiscate Cars from Habitual Drunk Drivers

Police officers conduct a crackdown on drunk driving on a road in the central city of Sejong on April 8, 2021. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 29 (Korea Bizwire) — A series of measures aimed at preventing drunk driving, including the confiscation of vehicles from individuals who cause fatal accidents or engage in repeated drunk driving, will take effect next month, the Supreme Prosecutors Office said Wednesday.

The list of cars eligible for confiscation includes instances of drunk driving resulting in fatalities or multiple injuries, as well as cases of drunk hit-and-runs, repeat offenses, or other crimes that violate the Special Act on the Handling of Traffic Accidents.

If drivers with more than two citations for drunk driving within five years cause injury to others, or if they have been caught drunk driving more than three times and continue to repeat the offense, their cars will also be subject to confiscation.

Habitual drunk drivers will generally be detained for investigation. Furthermore, there will be intensified investigations into hit-and-run cases and aiding and abetting through driver-switching.

Last year, a total of 130,283 drunk driving cases were reported, with an estimated 15,059 cases of traffic accidents caused by drunk driving. This figure is similar to the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)