(EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Aug. 14)

Drunk drivers

More than 1.52 million people received a special pardon to mark the 64th
anniversary of Liberation Day on Aug. 15. The government said that the mass
presidential pardon is part of its efforts to help low-income groups and provide
realistic assistance in the current economic downturn.

The logic behind this round of presidential pardons is that it would give small,
first-time offenders who inadvertently broke the law while trying to earn a
living a chance to start afresh. It is ostensibly in line with President Lee
Myung-bak's recent pledge to help the poor.
While the goals are worthy, a close look at who are being pardoned is worrisome.
More than 98.5 percent of those pardoned are traffic law violators. Of these,
82.2 percent are simple offenders who have accrued demerit points for breaking
the traffic law. Having demerit points does not affect one's ability to make a
living. So why erase these people's violation records? If the rule of law is to
be upheld, strict application of the law is necessary. Mass presidential pardons
do a disservice by diluting the strict application of the law.
Even more worrisome is the fact that people convicted of drunk driving have been
pardoned. While the government has excluded people with two drunk driving
offences in the past five years, those caught drunk driving without a license and
drunk drivers involved in accidents in which people were hurt or killed, the fact
that drunk drivers have been pardoned at all is regrettable.
Drunk drivers put not only themselves but innocent people at risk. By wiping the
slate clean, the government sends the message that drunk driving is not a serious
crime. The government, which should enforce strict rules against drunk driving,
has reduced its own power to prevent drunk driving with the presidential pardons.
Around the world, governments are stepping up restrictions against drunk driving.
It is lamentable that the Korean government is issuing pardons to drunk drivers.
(END)