25일부터 '제2 윤창호법' 시행… 두달간 특별음주단속<br /><br />As of today, South Korea is taking stronger measures against drunk driving.<br />Under the new rules, even a can of beer can put drivers over the limit.<br />Our Oh Soo-young reports. South Korea is enforcing tougher measures on those who drink and drive.<br />Under the country's revised traffic law which came into effect on Tuesday,... drivers whose blood alcohol levels measure zero-point-zero-three percent or higher will have their licenses suspended. That's stricter than the previous limit of zero-point-zero-five.<br />Those whose alcohol levels read zero-point-zero-eight percent or higher will have their licenses revoked.<br />The zero-point-zero-three percent threshold amounts to about one shot of soju or a can of beer,... and is comparatively lower than in countries like the United States, the Netherlands and England.<br />The changes come as the second phase of the so-called Yoon Chang-ho Law revision bills named after a university student who died from severe head injuries last year after an intoxicated driver collided with him.<br />The tragedy led to calls for action and prompted parliament to pass a series of amendments in November, introducing stronger laws against driving under influence for the first time in nearly six decades.<br />"Drinking has been seen as a form of bonding and building trust in Korean society where groups go to two or three places throughout the night. So, court rulings in the past on drink-related crimes have reflected this rather tolerant culture toward drinking the notion that having one or two drinks is okay. With the new zero-point-zero-three-percent threshold, it is now clear that even one sip is unacceptable."<br />Drunk drivers can now receive up to a life sentence if they cause fatal accidents,... and face heavier penalties the second time they get caught,... compared to the previous three-strike rule.<br /> While the number of accidents and fatalities caused by drunk driving has been decreasing significantly in recent years,... it still accounts for 9 percent of all road accidents. <br />As the revised law takes effect,... the police have also launched a two-month crackdown across the nation,... from 10 PM to 4 AM,... in areas where accidents are frequent.<br />As it can take hours for alcohol to fully leave the system,... police say drivers shouldn't get behind the wheel after a night of drinking,... or when they are hungover.<br />"Beyond the rules and numbers, the bigger picture is to try to change the culture of leniency toward heavy drinking and the accidents caused by drinking in Korea.<br />Oh Soo-young, Arirang News." <br />
