USFK Sergeant fined $15,000 for 260km drunk drive from Gwangju to Busan

A U.S. Forces Korea staff sergeant has been fined 15 million won for driving under the influence across a distance of approximately 260 kilometers, from Gwangju to Busan. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence on Thursday, citing the severity of the offense.

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Drunk driving is a crime with a high risk of harming the lives and bodies of others, and it requires strict punishment.

Presiding Judge Mok Myung-gyun stated that drunk driving poses a significant risk to others' lives and bodies, necessitating strict punishment. The court considered the extremely high blood alcohol concentration, the fact that the vehicle was not covered by mandatory insurance, and the exceptionally long distance traveled as key factors in determining the sentence.

The sergeant had argued that there were procedural irregularities during the breathalyzer test. However, the court dismissed this claim, finding the test results credible. The court noted that the police officer informed the suspect, using a translation app, that only one breathalyzer test was possible. The suspect was also provided with water to rinse their mouth before the test, and the equipment appeared to meet quality standards and was used with a new mouthpiece.

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Considering the very high blood alcohol concentration, the fact that the vehicle was not covered by mandatory insurance, and the very long distance driven for drunk driving, the sentence was determined.

The incident occurred on the night of December 17 last year when the sergeant drove from Gwangsan District in Gwangju to Busanjin District in Busan. The blood alcohol level measured at the time of the traffic stop was 0.223%, well above the legal limit of 0.08% which leads to license revocation.

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The court found that the credibility of the drunk driving test results is recognized, considering that the police officer informed the suspect that only one test was possible using a Google translator, provided over 200ml of water to rinse their mouth, and the measuring device met quality standards and appeared to have used a new mouthpiece.