(Herald DB) A drunk driver sentenced to five years in prison for killing a Japanese tourist has appealed the ruling, court officials said Tuesday.The defendant, surnamed Seo, submitted the appeal to the Seoul Central District Court last Tuesday, a week after the court found him guilty of death by dangerous driving. The court also ordered the seizure of his vehicle, holding him responsible for the death of a woman in her 50s and the injuries suffered by her daughter.Seo’s reasons for appeal had not been disclosed as of Tuesday.The crash occurred at around 10 p.m. on Nov. 2, while the two victims were visiting South Korea on a three-day trip.They had finished shopping at Dongdaemun Design Plaza and were on their way to see the fortress walls near Naksan Park when Seo ran them over on a sidewalk in Jongno-gu, central Seoul.Seo’s blood alcohol content at the time was 0.212 percent, far above the 0.08 percent threshold for license revocation. He had drunk three bottles of soju shortly before getting behind the wheel.The sentence sparked controversy, with many saying the punishment was too lenient. After the sentencing, the victim’s family expressed frustration over what they saw as Korea’s weak criminal penalties for drunk driving.Although the court said in its ruling that severe punishment was necessary, it also said it took into account that Seo had reached a settlement with the victim’s family and that the family did not want him punished.While the maximum penalty for a fatal traffic accident is life imprisonment, the Supreme Court’s sentencing guidelines recommend four to eight years even when aggravating factors are present.