KEY POINTS:
A Korean woman who lost her right arm in a bus accident in February is upset at the sentence imposed on the driver of the tour coach, and her family will now look to sue the bus company involved.
Curie Suk, 19, said from her Hamilton home that
her father, Sang Kee Suk, was yet to hear of the court outcome because he was overseas.
But her mother, Miok Lim, was extremely upset at the 100 hours of community work imposed on Aucklander Seong Wong Lee, 40, who was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.
"My father will also not be happy," Ms Suk said.
The non-custodial sentence was seen as too light, as was the $1000 in reparations granted to her and two other passengers who lost their arms.
Ms Suk and her mother attended Thursday's sentencing on the back of advice contained in what they said was a letter sent by the court.
"It was very uncomfortable, because I saw the driver's face for the first time," Ms Suk said. "He tried to say sorry but I didn't want an apology from him. During the court [appearance] he said something to us but I felt it was not the truth."
Lee's lawyer, Arama Ngapo-Lipscombe, told the Weekend Herald her client had been "completely ostracised" by the Korean community in Auckland.
"When he's applied for jobs and they've found out who he was the employment has been withdrawn."
He was currently unemployed and was struggling to support a family. "His kids have been pointed out, and they have been exposed to less than desirable comments," Ms Ngapo-Lipscombe said.
Ms Suk said the company Lee drove for, Smile Coach, had never apologised or attempted to communicate with the family.
"They have never shown any remorse," she said.
Her father would decide on the next course of action, which might include suing the bus company.
Ms Suk vowed she would never travel in a bus again.
Until Thursday, the family had been planning a trip to the South Island, but Ms Suk said the trip was now off because the sentence had upset her mother too much.
The 19-year-old speaks with confidence and a bright smile, but as she talks she is clearly conscious of the prosthetic arm she wears, covering her plastic hand beneath her long sleeves with her opposite hand.
The temporary prosthesis is for cosmetic reasons only - a new, functional one will be fitted early next year.
The family have settled in Hamilton and are seeking permanent residency in New Zealand. Ms Suk's 12-year-old brother Cuhong has spent the year at a local primary school. Meanwhile, she has spent the latter half of the year studying English and science.
The two other victims who lost their right arms in the crash are currently in Korea.
Computer designer Youn Hee Chang, 34, returned to her homeland in March. The family of Jung-Min (Jackie) Hun, 19, settled in Auckland but have flown to Korea for a short holiday.
