Sitting district council member caught drunk driving after dismissing designated driver

A sitting district council member has been caught driving under the influence, police said.

Seoul's Hyehwa Police Station has launched an investigation into a woman in her 50s, identified only as A, on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act by driving while intoxicated. A is a sitting district council member, police said.

A is accused of driving a vehicle near Myeongnyun 1-ga in Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, at around 12:56 a.m. Thursday with a blood alcohol level high enough to warrant license suspension.

According to police, A had arrived at her destination in a vehicle driven by a designated driver, then got behind the wheel herself after the driver stepped out. The designated driver witnessed this and called police.

Officers who responded to the call accompanied A to the station before allowing her to return home. Police plan to summon her soon for questioning to establish the precise facts of the case.