Singer Kim Ho Joong (33), accused of hit-and-run while driving under the influence, was sentenced to prison in his first trial.
On November 13th KST, Judge Choi Min Hye of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Kim Ho Joong to two years and six months in prison for violating the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (Dangerous Driving Resulting in Injury) and other charges.
The CEO of his agency, Mr. Lee, and Head of Department, Mr. Jeon, who were also charged with instructing his manager, Mr. Jang, to falsely confess on his behalf to cover up the accident, were sentenced to two years and one year and six months in prison, respectively. Manager Jang received a one-year prison sentence.
The court stated, “Kim Ho Joong irresponsibly fled after causing both personal and property damage by hitting a taxi while driving under the influence. Furthermore, in conspiracy with CEO Lee and Head Jeon, he had his manager falsely confess, misleading the initial investigation and wasting significant police resources.”
The judge added, “He called Mr. Jeon and Mr. Jang to handle the incident or even involved a junior manager to clean up his actions, while he himself fled to a motel, left falsified phone records, and even purchased beer before entering the motel as if preparing for an investigation.”
The judge continued, “Given his overall behavior, one has to question whether he truly feels any remorse for his actions as an adult. The CCTV footage shows him staggering under the influence, yet he continued to deny responsibility with unreasonable excuses, which reflects poorly on his character.”
The judge also criticized CEO Lee and Head Jeon, saying, “Their actions to conceal Kim’s crime in an improper manner and engage in obstruction of justice by facilitating his escape or destroying evidence display an extremely poor sense of ethics.”
However, the court took into consideration the fact that Kim belatedly acknowledged his crime and responsibility, and reached a settlement with the victim for 60 million won.
Throughout the sentencing, Kim Ho Joong kept his head down, hands folded, and avoided looking at the gallery where fans had gathered. When he was sentenced to two years and six months, he sighed quietly.
Kim Ho Joong faced charges of fleeing the scene after colliding with a taxi while driving under the influence on Apgujeong Road, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, around 11:44 p.m. on May 9th. The taxi driver sustained injuries requiring two weeks of recovery.
After fleeing, Kim allegedly pressured agency staff into making a false confession and refused to provide passwords for three of his confiscated mobile phones, attempting multiple times to conceal his actions.
Although he admitted to drinking, his DUI charge was dismissed, as prosecutors explained that it was difficult to estimate his blood alcohol level retroactively due to multiple drinking intervals.
In the previous trial in September, the prosecution sought a sentence of three years and six months. In his final statement, Kim said, “I will strive to lead a life where I don’t repeat mistakes rather than a life of constant success. I sincerely apologize and will work to live properly.”
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