Gyeong Gimun, a member of the Seoul Metropolitan City Council (People Power Party, Gangseo 6), strongly criticized the state of DUI offenses and management systems of transport workers during a transportation committee meeting held at the conference room on the 8th.
He emphasized, “According to the 2024 administrative audit data submitted by the city, over the past four years, all but one of the 65 bus companies had at least one DUI detection case, with some companies recording over 70 such incidents. This is a critical issue that must be addressed to ensure public safety.”
Gyeong further pointed out, “The standards for DUI testing and punishment differ among bus companies, and the monetary or personnel penalties are insufficient. In the civil service, being caught driving under the influence typically results in demotion or severe disciplinary action. However, under the semi-public bus system, the handling is left to the discretion of each company, which poses a systemic flaw.”
He requested a comprehensive survey on DUI and major accident detection, including taxis, village buses, and subway drivers, and stated, “This is data that the entire transportation committee should share.”
Moreover, he noted, “In some cases, detected DUIs do not affect bonus payments due to collective agreements within companies, which is unreasonable. Since Seoul subsidizes the budget for the semi-public system, it should exercise management and oversight over the bonus and performance pay systems. If necessary, the city should intervene in labor agreements to unify punishment regulations.”
In conclusion, Gyeong declared, “Driving under the influence is not merely a legal violation but an issue directly linked to citizens’ lives. I will ensure that related documents and measures for institutional improvement are thoroughly reviewed during the year-end administrative audit.”