Woman caught live-streaming while drink-driving in South Korea

SEOUL - A woman in her 40s was caught driving under the influence on July 25 while live-streaming on a highway, police said on July 28.

After receiving a report from one of her viewers, the highway patrol tuned into her live broadcast to track her exact location and intercept her.

According to the Busan Metropolitan Police, the livestreamer is currently under investigation for drunk driving but has not been detained.

Her blood alcohol concentration at the time was within the range of 0.03 to 0.08 per cent, a range that warrants a licence suspension under South Korean law, police said.

It was reported that the suspect drank two bottles of soju alone in Daegu until early in morning of July 25. After a few hours of rest at home, she began driving to Taejongdae in Busan’s Yeongdo-gu to see an acquaintance.

While still under the influence, she livestreamed herself driving more than 90km on the expressway, openly admitting she had been drinking.

She was apprehended by police on a section of the Namhae Expressway near the Daejeo Interchange. She did not attempt to flee or refuse a breathalyser test at the time of the arrest, officials said.

“It appears that she conducted the livestream while drunk driving to attract more viewers. Drunk driving is a criminal act that can cause serious harm not only to the driver but to others as well.

“We will respond firmly to this case to reinforce the message that driving under the influence will not go unpunished,” a police official said. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK