Driver sentenced to 4 years for fatal Udo island crash

A driver in his 60s has been sentenced to four years in prison for causing a tragic accident on Udo, a small island off the coast of Jeju, which resulted in three fatalities and 11 injuries. The court found the driver guilty of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents.

The incident occurred on November 24 last year when the driver, operating a rented nine-seater van, lost control shortly after disembarking from a ferry at Cheonjin Port. The vehicle sped for approximately 150 to 200 meters, colliding with pedestrians. The crash claimed the lives of one passenger in the van and two pedestrians, while 11 others sustained injuries. The driver was arrested two months after the accident.

Throughout the police investigation and subsequent trial, the driver consistently claimed that the vehicle experienced sudden acceleration. However, an analysis of the vehicle's event data recorder (EDR) by the National Forensic Service revealed that the accelerator pedal had been engaged from five seconds before the collision until the moment of impact.

Prosecutors expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, highlighting the significant scale of the casualties and the driver's alleged lack of genuine remorse. They indicated their intention to appeal the ruling to ensure a sentence that better reflects the gravity of the offense. The prosecution pointed out that the driver's persistent claim of sudden acceleration, despite objective evidence, demonstrated a lack of sincere reflection.

Additionally, prosecutors noted that the driver had not reached agreements with all the victims, further contributing to their decision to pursue an appeal. The prosecution stated they would make every effort to ensure a sentence commensurate with the defendant's culpability.

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The scale of the damage is very severe, the defendant is not sincerely reflecting, and despite objective evidence, the defendant only claims sudden acceleration without sincere reflection. We will do our best to ensure that a sentence commensurate with the crime is imposed, including appealing the sentencing due to unfairness.