DWI cases increase by 13.7% last year

A total of 274,400 people were stopped for drunk driving last year, a 13.7% increase from 241,373 in 1999, police said Saturday.

Cases in which the offender`s blood alcohol level exceeded 0.1, which results in license revocation, accounted for 50.3% of all cases, an increase of 2.9% from 47.4% in 1999.

The number of cases in which the offender`s blood alcohol level exceeded 0.1% was 138,034. There were 127,950 cases in which the level was 0.05%~0.1%, resulting in license suspension, and 8,416 cases of license revocations for refusing testing.

The number of cases in which the offender`s blood alcohol level exceeded 0.1% (level after drinking about half a bottle of soju) increased from 46.9% in 1998 to 47.4% in 1999 and 50.3% last year.

A police official said that President Kim¡¯s directive to bolster efforts to stop drunk driving was the main reason for the increase. He added that the economic downturn and Korea`s immoderate drinking culture were contributing factors.

Choi Ho-Won bestiger@donga.com