Will 'This Law' Supported by Ruling and Opposition Lawmakers Prevent Drunk Driving Tragedies?

Ha Tae-kyung Proposes 'Drunk Driving Murderer Identity Disclosure Act'

Amid nationwide outrage over the case of 9-year-old Bae Seung-ah, who was killed by a drunk-driving vehicle in a school zone, a bill has been proposed to disclose the personal information of those who kill people while driving under the influence.

On the 17th, Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, announced on his social media (SNS), "Today, I have proposed the Drunk-Driving Murderer Personal Information Disclosure Act. A total of nine lawmakers, including Choi Seung-jae, Park Jeong-ha, Yoon Sang-hyun, Hwang Bo-seung-hee, Lee Joo-hwan, Kim Tae-ho, Kim Young-joo (Democratic Party), Yang Jeong-sook (Independent), and Yoon Chang-hyun, have joined as co-sponsors."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This bill stipulates that the names, faces, ages, and other personal information of those who cause death by drunk driving or who have been caught driving under the influence two or more times within ten years can be disclosed. Currently, personal information is only disclosed for violent crimes and sex crimes, but this amendment aims to treat drunk-driving fatalities as serious crimes equivalent to murder, thereby sending a warning to drunk drivers.

Representative Ha stated, "Driving under the influence is not a mistake but an intentional crime," and added, "I hope for bipartisan cooperation so that this bill can pass for the preventive effect against similar crimes and the public interest."

As the case of Bae has sparked public outrage, similar bills are being proposed one after another. Yoon Chang-hyun, also from the People Power Party, announced in a press release the day before, "I will be the main proposer of the 'Partial Amendment to the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Specific Violent Crimes,' which allows the disclosure of the perpetrator's personal information when casualties occur in drunk-driving accidents in school zones."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.