The driver in the fatal car crash that killed nine and injured five near Seoul City Hall in July 2024 was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison.
In its first trial verdict on Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Court handed down a jail term to the 69-year-old, known only by his last name Cha, without forced labor.
In July last year, Cha pulled his car out from a hotel and darted in the opposite direction for some 200 meters on a one-way road near Seoul City Hall before crashing into sidewalk guardrails and hitting pedestrians.
Cha insisted the crash was caused by sudden unintended acceleration, but the court found the defendant guilty, stating no mechanical defects were found in the car according to the National Forensic Service’s analysis.
The court added that Cha continued to step on and off the accelerator at the time of the incident.
The prosecutors accused Cha of poor handling of the vehicle and sought a 7 1/2-year prison term in a hearing held in January.
sj_lee@heraldcorp.com
