According to the Korea Insurance Development Institute on Sunday, out of 725,796 car accidents on which insurance claims were made during the 2003 fiscal year -- from April 1, 2003 until March 31, 2004 -- 24,036 accidents (3.3 percent) resulted from drunk driving. By region, North Gyeongsang province had the highest rate of motor accidents due to drunk driving with 6.3 percent; there were 2,207 accidents involving drunk drivers out of 35,257 total traffic accidents in that region. Second place went to South Jeolla province at 5.3 percent, which had 1,093 accidents caused by drunk driving out of 20,639. Gangwon and Jeju provinces both recorded 5.2 percent with 1,235 accidents out of 23,810 in Gangwon province, and 286 out of 5,467 in Jeju province.

Seoul had the lowest percentage of drunk driving compared to the total number of car accidents with 1.9 percent. Out of 153,365 car accidents, there were only 2,958 resulting from drunk driving. Incheon and Daejeon followed with 2.6 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively.

The percentage of accidents involving serious offences such as hit and runs and driving without a license was highest in North Gyeongsang province with 21.1 percent, followed by Jeju and Gangwon provinces with 20.9 and 20.2 percent, respectively. Seoul also placed lowest in this category with 11.1 percent.

(Lee Gyeong-eun, diva@chosun.com )