[음주범죄에 관대한 사회]
Singapore fines 1 million won for sobriety violation
Seoul’s ‘prohibition zone’ attempt met with opposition
“Cheers!”
Around 3:00 pm on the 1st, Banpo Hangang Park, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Six middle-aged men were sitting at a wooden table drinking Poktokju, a mixture of soju and beer. Those whose faces turned red in broad daylight turned up the song loudly and sang along. Some of the passers-by frowned, but seemed unconcerned.
In Korea, drinking alcohol in public places such as parks is commonplace. In the afternoon of the same day, it was easy to find people drinking alcohol in broad daylight at Banpo Hangang Park. Dozens of people were drinking alcohol in a tent across from the memorial space for Son Jung-min, who sparked the discussion on drinking restrictions in Hangang Park. Some were so drunk they couldn’t keep themselves up.
In developed countries overseas, there are not a few places that regulate drinking in public places. In New York State, it is illegal to carry an open bottle of alcohol in a public place. Australia also designates almost all public places as ‘dry areas’. Singapore bans drinking in public places from 10:30 pm to 7:00 am, and in case of violation, a fine of about 1 million won in Korean money is imposed. In Korea, some local governments have designated and operated alcohol-free zones or drinking-clean zones, but many of them are ineffective. In 2018, the Seoul Metropolitan Government designated 22 places, including Seoul Forest, as clean drinking zones, and decided to impose fines of up to 100,000 won for those who drank alcohol and made a fuss in those areas. However, there has been no case where a fine has been imposed until the end of April this year.
In fact, around 5:00 p.m. on the 1st, when a Dong-A Ilbo reporter visited the Gyeongui Line Forest Road in Mapo-gu, Seoul, which is designated as a clean drinking area by Seoul, he saw about 20 citizens drinking and talking loudly. Unlike alcohol-free zones, alcohol-free zones prohibit drinking even if there is no disturbance, and fines can be imposed for violations. After the death of Son Jung-min in 2021, the city of Seoul has tried several times to designate Hangang Park as an alcohol-free zone, but there has been no progress due to opposition from people asking, “Can you not even drink beer on the Han River?”
Son Ae-ri, a professor of health management at Sahmyook University, said, “Outdoor drinking culture is still prevalent in Korea, so if you recklessly crack down on hard-line measures, you will inevitably encounter resistance. We need to gradually reduce drinking in public places through publicity and guidance,” she said.
The Ministry of Justice pointed out the ‘restriction on judges’ sentencing discretion’
At the 21st National Assembly, amendments to the Criminal Code were proposed one after another to exclude ‘mental and physical disorders’ caused by drinking from the reason for reducing the sentence, but it was found that they had not yet crossed the threshold of the standing committee. Public opinion that crimes committed while drunk should be severely punished is growing, but legislation has not been implemented due to the National Assembly’s indifference and opposition from related ministries.
According to the National Assembly Bill Information System on the 2nd, five amendments to the Criminal Code, which include the exclusion of those with mental and physical disabilities due to drinking, from the subject of reduced sentences, were proposed in the 21st National Assembly. The specific wording of each bill is slightly different, but the key is to abolish or limit the ‘reduced commutation’.
The amendment to the Criminal Law, proposed by Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Yeong-gyo in June 2020, includes the addition of a new provision stating that the provisions of paragraph 2 (Article 10 of the Criminal Act) do not apply to the acts of persons with mental and physical disabilities caused by drinking or drugs. Article 10, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Act stipulates that ‘acts of a person who is incapable of discriminating things and making decisions due to mental and physical disabilities may be mitigated.’ In addition, the Criminal Law Amendment Proposed by Rep. Choi Chun-sik of the People’s Power in January included the maximum sentence for each crime and weighted up to twice the amount of the fine in the case of a crime committed while intoxicated.
However, these bills are not even discussed in the relevant standing committee, the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, let alone passed by the plenary session. An official from the Judiciary and Judiciary Committee said, “The Judiciary and Judiciary Committee has so many other standing committee bills to deal with that it will inevitably take a long time to discuss the bill unique to the Judiciary and Judiciary Committee.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.