A 76-year-old driver who plowed a car into the Kkaebi Market in Mokdong, Seoul, in 2024, leaving 12 people dead or injured, has been sentenced to a suspended jail term.
On the 23rd, the Seoul Southern District Court’s Criminal Division 5, Judge Seo Ji-won presiding, sentenced Kim, 76, to two years in jail, suspended for three years, for causing death and injury under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents.
According to the indictment, Kim was driving a passenger car through the market on Dec. 31, 2024, when he struck victims at 76 kilometers per hour. A man in his 40s who ran a fruit shop was taken to a hospital but died. Eleven other pedestrians were injured.
Kim initially told police he did not remember what happened. During the investigation, however, he admitted he accelerated to pass a village bus and applied the brakes only late, and he acknowledged the charges.
Police said Kim had previously received treatment for dementia but stopped. He has been living in a care facility and stood trial without being detained.
Prosecutors had sought a three-year jail term at a sentencing hearing held on the 14th.
In his final statement, Kim said, “I am sorry for causing the accident because I could not judge properly,” and asked the court to consider that the crash was linked to cognitive impairment.
The court said Kim caused “very serious harm” by speeding well above the limit to pass a bus, resulting in one death and injuries to 11 people requiring two weeks to six months of treatment. The judge also cited Kim’s pledge not to drive again, settlements reached with nine of the 12 victims, and statements from two others that they did not want punishment.
The court also considered that Kim’s vehicle was covered by comprehensive auto insurance, which compensated property damage, and that he is elderly and in poor health, including dementia.
The judge told Kim’s guardian, seated in the courtroom, to ensure he does not drive in the future.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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