ID :
208198
Tue, 09/20/2011 - 08:51
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/208198
The shortlink copeid
Lawmaker knocks foreign diplomats' reluctance to pay traffic fines
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- A ruling party lawmaker chastised foreign diplomats Tuesday for taking advantage of diplomatic immunity to ignore fines imposed for traffic violations.
Police data requested by Rep. You Jung-hyun of the Grand National Party showed that more than 60 percent of traffic fines imposed on foreign diplomats in South Korea over the past five years have gone unpaid.
Of a total 46.9 million won (US$40,925) in fines slapped on foreign diplomatic vehicles for violations of local traffic laws from August 2006 to July this year, 65.5 percent, or 30.73 million won, had not been paid, according to the report of the National Police Agency submitted to parliament.
While diplomats from 99 countries received traffic fines during that period, representatives of 38 of those countries failed to pay anything, the report showed.
The country with the most citations, whose name is withheld for diplomatic reasons, was fined 9.69 million won over the past five years, of which only 1.53 million won was paid. The countries in second and third place for number of citations were fined 4.13 million won and 3.66 million won, respectively, but had paid none of those, according to the report.
"While we acknowledge diplomatic immunity, there should not be an exception to such basic rules," said You. "The government departments concerned should cooperate with each other to devise proper measures to deal with the common practice of habitual delinquency by foreign embassies."
The report said that 38 countries had paid all fines imposed.
Police data requested by Rep. You Jung-hyun of the Grand National Party showed that more than 60 percent of traffic fines imposed on foreign diplomats in South Korea over the past five years have gone unpaid.
Of a total 46.9 million won (US$40,925) in fines slapped on foreign diplomatic vehicles for violations of local traffic laws from August 2006 to July this year, 65.5 percent, or 30.73 million won, had not been paid, according to the report of the National Police Agency submitted to parliament.
While diplomats from 99 countries received traffic fines during that period, representatives of 38 of those countries failed to pay anything, the report showed.
The country with the most citations, whose name is withheld for diplomatic reasons, was fined 9.69 million won over the past five years, of which only 1.53 million won was paid. The countries in second and third place for number of citations were fined 4.13 million won and 3.66 million won, respectively, but had paid none of those, according to the report.
"While we acknowledge diplomatic immunity, there should not be an exception to such basic rules," said You. "The government departments concerned should cooperate with each other to devise proper measures to deal with the common practice of habitual delinquency by foreign embassies."
The report said that 38 countries had paid all fines imposed.
