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How long will Korea tolerate deadly drunk driving?

Published: 18 Dec. 2025, 00:04

So Hye-rim

The author is an attorney.

December is the month when illegal drunk driving occurs most frequently in Korea. According to a big data analysis by the Korea Road Traffic Authority (KoROAD), there were 75,950 drunk driving accidents over the past five years from 2019 to 2023, resulting in 11,761 deaths. A monthly breakdown shows December at the top, with incidents clustering on Friday nights between 10 p.m. and midnight. As year-end gatherings increase, news of deadly drunk driving crashes that reflect a lack of basic public safety standards continues to surface, raising concern.

Police officers launch a crackdown on driving under the influence of alcohol near Gongdeok Station in western Seoul on Nov. 21. [YONHAP]

Recent trends reveal another troubling pattern. The share of drunk driving accidents involving women has risen steadily. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s alcohol statistics for 2025, women accounted for 11.9 percent of drunk driving accidents in 2021, 12.7 percent in 2022 and 13.3 percent in 2023. Analysts point to expanded work force participation by women and aggressive marketing by liquor companies promoting so-called mild soju to broaden female consumption. The frequent portrayal of heavy drinking by young women in television dramas and films is also worrying. Women generally metabolize alcohol less efficiently than men due to physiological differences. This calls for public awareness campaigns by the police, KoROAD, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to address the risks of drunk driving among women.

Drunk driving is a crime, yet many argue that penalties remain too lenient. When a drunk driver causes injury or death and is deemed unable to operate a vehicle normally, prosecutors may apply the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes for dangerous driving resulting in injury or death. For injury, the punishment ranges from one to 15 years in prison, though sentences are typically under five years, or a fine of 10 million to 30 million won ($6,800 to $20,000). For fatal accidents, the penalty is life imprisonment or at least three years in prison. If the driver is judged capable of normal driving, the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents applies, carrying a penalty of up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won.

How do these penalties compare with those in other advanced countries? In France, a driver who causes a fatal drunk driving accident can face up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($117,000). In Britain, the maximum prison term is 14 years and there is no upper limit on fines. In Japan, sentences can reach up to 30 years. Japan also punishes not only drivers but also passengers and those who provide alcohol. As a result, despite having more than twice Korea’s population, Japan reduced drunk driving deaths from 198 in 2017 to 120 in 2021.

As Korea attracts large numbers of foreign tourists amid the global spread of K-culture, fatal accidents involving drunk drivers and foreign victims have repeatedly made headlines, casting a shadow over the country’s image. In late October, a Canadian man was killed after being struck by a drunk driver in southern Seoul’s Gangnam District. In early November, a Japanese mother and her adult daughter visiting Korea were hit by a vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver near Dongdaemun Station, killing the mother. Japanese media criticized Korea’s comparatively light punishment for drunk driving deaths, raising concerns about damage to national credibility.

As an attorney who frequently represents drunk driving suspects, there is a point that bears emphasis. Many drivers overlook the fact that responsibility does not end with criminal punishment. Civil liability for damages follows. Drunk driving offenders are responsible for all losses, including vehicle repair costs for both parties, medical expenses, compensation for lost income and emotional distress damages.

A drunk driver drove onto a sidewalk on Nov. 2, killing a Japanese woman who was walking with her adult daughter. Police are investigating a man on charges related to the incident. The photo shows a bollard bent by the impact between the roadway and sidewalk at the Dongdaemun Station intersection in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Nov. 3. [YONHAP]

For drunk drivers, insurance coverage offers little protection. Drunk driving is an exclusion under driver insurance policies. Offenders cannot claim traffic accident settlement support or legal fees. If the offender is detained, the heavy compensation burden can fall entirely on family members. A message displayed on the electronic board at the Seoul Southern Detention Center reads, “The final victims of drunk driving are the family.” Drunk driving not only threatens the lives of others but also inflicts lasting pain on one’s own family.

Many suspects I have met failed to grasp these realities until after causing an accident. Social awareness of drunk driving remains weak and warnings about the scale of responsibility are insufficient. Eradicating drunk driving remains a major task facing Korean society as a whole.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.