Unlicensed Driver in '8-Car Pileup' Sentenced to 3 Years and 6 Months... 'Diminished Responsibility Not Recognized'

[Financial News] A 20-year-old unlicensed driver who caused an 8-car pileup in downtown Gangnam, Seoul, while under the influence of drugs, was sentenced to prison in the first trial.
Judge Jang Su-jin of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Mr. Kim to 3 years and 6 months in prison for charges including causing injury while fleeing under the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes Act and violating the Road Traffic Act.
The court pointed out, "Driving under the influence of drugs is a dangerous act that can harm not only one's own life but also the lives of others," and noted, "The defendant did not have a driver's license and lacked basic knowledge about starting a vehicle, yet drove under the influence of drugs."
Mr. Kim claimed during the trial that he was in a 'diminished responsibility' state due to drug consumption at the time of the accident, but this was not accepted.
The court judged, "The psychiatric evaluation of the defendant shows that at the time of the crime, there was only a slight impairment in judgment due to impulsiveness, self-control issues, and depression, and it cannot be considered that he was in a state where he was unable to distinguish objects or make decisions."
Furthermore, the court emphasized, "Diminished responsibility is a discretionary mitigating factor," and stated, "(The defendant's condition) cannot be considered diminished responsibility, and even if it were, no reduction in sentence will be granted."
The court stated that the sentence was determined considering that a total of 10 victims were affected by this accident, one of whom suffered a serious injury requiring 12 weeks of treatment, and the victims' petitions for severe punishment.
On November 2 last year, around 1 p.m., Mr. Kim drove his mother's car without a license and hit a woman in her 30s pushing a stroller with her 4-year-old son on a side road in Geoyeo-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, and fled. He was later arrested as a current offender after hitting several vehicles and driving in the wrong direction on Teheran-ro in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu. It was confirmed that Mr. Kim was under the influence of clonazepam, a psychotropic drug, for treatment purposes at the time.  


scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter