South Korea police seek public input on drink-drive law

Police want to hear what the public thinks about how drunk drivers are punished

Police in South Korea will ask the public what they think about tightening drink-drive laws before deciding whether to push for a change in current limits.

The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) is planning to poll 1,000 Koreans over the course of one month, asking them whether the current blood alcohol limit should be cut from 0.05% to 0.03%, the Korea Herald reports. It notes that a single glass of the popular Korean tipple soju can result in the lower of the two readings. More than 10% of South Korea's road deaths in 2015 involved drink-driving, the paper says, citing KNPA data.

Those surveyed will also be asked if they think police need to toughen their approach to drink-driving, and whether it should be more difficult for people with convictions to regain their licences. Under South Korean law, drivers with a blood alcohol level of between 0.05% and 0.1% have their licences suspended for 100 days - anyone above that level has the licence revoked. "Public calls are growing over rooting out drunk driving," a police official tells the Korea Times. "It is time for us to consider revising related regulations."

The proposed reduction would bring South Korea into line with Japan, which saw a drastic reduction in alcohol-related traffic incidents after tightening its own laws in 2002. By contrast, the law in England and Wales is among the most lenient with a blood alcohol limit of 0.08%, although ministers are apparently pondering whether it should be lowered.

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