25.05.13.Today News : Gangneung Crash: Court Rejects Family’s Claim / Baek Jong-won Denies Blocking Kim Ho-joong
1. Gangneung Crash: Court Rejects Family’s Claim
- Court Says “No ECU Defect, Likely Pedal Misapplication by Driver”
In the 2022 sudden acceleration accident in Gangneung that resulted in the death of 12-year-old Lee Dohyun, the court has ruled against the victim’s family in a lawsuit against the vehicle manufacturer, KG Mobility. The court concluded that there was no defect in the vehicle’s electronic control system and found a high likelihood of driver error.
On May 13, the Chuncheon District Court's Gangneung Branch ruled against the family of Lee Dohyun in their 920 million won damage lawsuit against KG Mobility. At the time of the accident, Lee was riding with his grandparents when the vehicle suddenly accelerated, collided with another car, and overturned, leading to his death.
The family claimed a defect in the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software and malfunction of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system, but the court rejected these arguments. It cited the Event Data Recorder (EDR) record, which showed the accelerator was pressed to 100% in the final five seconds before the crash.
The court added that even if there had been an ECU error, it wouldn’t have affected the accelerator signal. Furthermore, sound analysis indicated that the gear lever had been shifted from Drive (D) to Neutral (N) and back to Drive (D) before impact.
Claims that the driver applied the brakes, indicated by alleged brake light activation, were also dismissed. The court found no evidence of brake light illumination during the final acceleration.
The ruling concluded that the accident was most likely caused by the driver mistaking the accelerator for the brake, not by an ECU defect. Consequently, the argument that the AEB failed to activate due to a defect was also rejected.
After the ruling, Lee’s father expressed strong dissatisfaction, stating he would appeal. He criticized the court for “choosing corporate interests over truth” and pledged to continue the legal battle and advocate for legal reform.
Despite public sympathy, the court ultimately attributed the incident to driver error, rather than a vehicle malfunction, marking a turning point in the high-profile case.
One-line summary : The court ruled the Gangneung sudden acceleration accident was due to driver error, not a manufacturer defect.
2. Baek Jong-won Denies Blocking Kim Ho-joong
- Former PD Alleges “One Call Stopped Kim Ho-joong”; Baek Denies Overreach
A controversy has erupted over claims that celebrity chef Baek Jong-won prevented singer Kim Ho-joong from appearing on a TV show. Former producer Kim Jae-hwan alleged that Baek influenced casting decisions, while Baek insists he merely offered opinions and held no such authority.
In a video released on May 13 by the YouTube channel "Studio Ohjaena," former PD Kim claimed that Baek Jong-won once called an SBS entertainment executive to block Kim Ho-joong’s appearance. At the time, Kim Ho-joong was gaining popularity through his role on TV Chosun’s “Call Center of Love.”
Kim explained that Baek was highly invested in his show “Baek Jong-won’s Alley Restaurant” and viewed competing programs as a threat. Allegedly, Baek warned that if Kim Ho-joong continued to be cast on SBS shows, he would leave his own program.
In response, Baek strongly denied the claim in a recent airport interview. He said, “No one person, not even a station president, can make such decisions alone. I only shared my opinion during discussions with producers.”
Baek emphasized that television is a collaborative effort and that casting decisions involve multiple stakeholders, denying accusations of power abuse.
Kim further alleged that Baek used his influence to remove a professor critical of him from a show and prevented his appearances on other networks, raising further concerns about Baek’s alleged overreach. However, the broadcasting companies involved have remained silent on the matter.
The issue has sparked broader debate about power dynamics, decision-making authority, and creative independence within broadcasting.