After sunset, an empty road near Everland theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, became a training ground for drivers practicing dangerous tricks. The noise and commotion from their gatherings, which persisted throughout 2024, led to over 40 complaints filed with authorities.
On Wednesday, the police in Yongin announced they were sending 10 suspects — all in their 20s — to the prosecution after months of investigation. They were not physically detained.
The drivers are accused of practicing dangerous maneuvers, including “drifting” and “winding,” on an 8-kilometer section of road near the theme park during late-night hours between February and December 2024, said the Yongin Dongbu Police Station.
Drifting involves keeping a high speed while causing the rear wheels to skid to navigate a turn, whereas winding refers to speeding along a curved road while sliding. Both drifting and winding are high-risk tricks, creating loud, screeching noises while posing significant dangers to the driver and others on the road.
The police apprehended the suspects late last year after months of interviewing witnesses and analyzing nearby closed-circuit TV cameras; they were handed over to the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office on charges of reckless driving and joint endangerment under the Road Traffic Act.
Investigators said the suspects, composed of university students and office workers who connected through social media platforms, recorded and shared each other's driving regularly. While no traffic accidents occurred, their dangerous hobby caused damage to surrounding facilities, such as the destruction of guardrails, the Yongin police said.
During the police investigations, the group’s members stated they did not commit the acts with criminal intent. The police assessed 40 penalty points against the drivers, leading to the suspension of their licenses.
cjh@heraldcorp.com
