A driver in his 40s, who was charged with causing the death of a cargo union member while driving a large truck during a protest in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, has received a suspended prison sentence.
On June 18, the Jinju branch of the Changwon District Court sentenced the non-union driver, identified as A, to 2 years and 6 months in prison, suspended for 4 years, after he was indicted on charges of manslaughter and other offenses. The prosecution had previously sought a 3-year prison term during the final hearing last month.
The court found A guilty of injuring union members who were attempting to block his truck, stating, "As a person whose job involves transporting goods, he should have been fully aware of the risks of an accident. His failure to stop resulted in loss of life, which is a serious offense." The court also noted that A had not received forgiveness from the two injured individuals, which contributed to the guilty verdict.
However, the court acknowledged that A was driving under police orders and faced an unpredictable situation when union members rushed toward his vehicle. "While he made a poor judgment and acted incorrectly, it is difficult to establish intent to cause harm," the court stated.
Additionally, the court considered A's deep acknowledgment of his wrongdoing, the fact that the family of the deceased union member did not wish for him to be punished, and his lack of prior criminal history when determining the sentence.
On April 20, A was driving his truck to leave the CU Jinju Logistics Center, where a cargo union protest was taking place. As he attempted to exit, numerous union members crowded the road, leading to the accident.
One union member in his 50s was killed at the scene, while two others sustained serious injuries and were transported to the hospital, with one reported to be in critical condition.
In light of the seriousness of the incident, police initially charged A with murder and aggravated assault before sending him to the prosecution in custody. However, after further investigation, the prosecution determined that it was difficult to prove intent to kill and changed the charges to manslaughter and injury. They took into account that A's visibility was limited when union members surrounded his vehicle and that he stopped the truck immediately after the accident.
In a separate case, a cargo union member, identified as B, was sentenced to 8 months in prison, suspended for 2 years, for wielding a weapon against police officers who responded to the protest.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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