World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
South Korean bus driver’s suspended sentence upheld after passenger’s death
A court in Jeonju, South Korea, upheld a bus driver’s sentence after a passenger fell during a sudden stop and later died.
The crash happened in April 2024, when a 69-year-old passenger had just stood up to get off at a stop.
The driver was travelling at 67 km/h in a 50 km/h zone before braking sharply.
The passenger was treated in hospital but died of respiratory failure about two months later.
The driver received 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, and the appeals court rejected his appeal.
The judges said bus drivers must obey speed limits and avoid sudden braking to protect passengers, while also noting the family did not seek punishment.
The appeal ruling leaves the original sentence in place.
A South Korean appeals court upheld a suspended prison sentence for a bus driver whose sudden braking caused a passenger to fall and later die.
The Jeonju District Court rejected the driver’s appeal and maintained a sentence of 10 months in prison, suspended for two years.
The passenger fell while getting up to leave the bus at a stop in Jeonju on April 18, 2024.
The driver had been travelling at 67 kph on a road with a 50 kph speed limit before braking suddenly.
The appeals court said bus drivers must obey speed limits and avoid sudden braking to protect passengers.
- Who
- A 61-year-old city bus driver, identified only as A, and a 69-year-old passenger, identified only as B.
- What
- The court upheld the driver’s sentence of 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, over the passenger’s death.
- When
- The crash happened on April 18, 2024. The appeals ruling was reported on November 1, 2026.
- Where
- At a bus stop in Wansan-gu, Jeonju, South Korea.
- Why
- The driver was speeding and braked suddenly, causing the passenger to fall. The passenger later died in hospital.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The passenger fell after the bus driver braked suddenly at a stop in Jeonju.
The passenger died of respiratory failure after receiving hospital treatment for about two months.
The appeals court rejected the driver's appeal and upheld the suspended sentence.
- Sentence
- 10 months in prison, suspended for two years
- Speed
- 67 kph on a road with a 50 kph speed limit
- Crash date
- April 18, 2024
- Passenger
- 69-year-old B
- Court
- Jeonju District Court appeals panel
1 source
What people are saying
A city bus driver must observe the duty of care to comply with speed limits and prevent sudden deceleration to ensure passenger safety.
In light of the degree to which the duty of care was breached and the resulting consequences, the defendant's offence is by no means minor.