｜Conclusion of the Drunk Driving Hit-and-Run Case

Trot singer Kim Ho-jung (34) has dropped his appeal regarding the drunk driving hit-and-run case, resulting in a confirmed prison sentence of 2 years and 6 months.

According to the legal community, Kim Ho-jung submitted a withdrawal of appeal to the Supreme Court on the 19th.

Thus, the sentence imposed by the appellate court has been confirmed, and Kim Ho-jung, who was incarcerated after being indicted on June 18, 2024, is expected to be released on December 24, 2026.

On May 9 of last year, at around 11:44 PM, Kim Ho-jung drove under the influence and crashed into a taxi on the opposite lane in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, and then fled the scene. After the accident, he pressured a staff member to falsely confess and attempted to conceal his actions by refusing to provide police with the passwords to three of his seized cell phones, ultimately acknowledging his mistakes.

｜Attempt to Conceal the Incident and Legal Punishment

About 50 minutes after the accident, Kim Ho-jung changed clothes with his manager and escaped in a car driven by another manager to a motel in Guri, Gyeonggi Province.

Moreover, it was found that he purchased canned beer at a nearby convenience store with his companions, raising suspicions that this was an attempt to hinder a breathalyzer test by consuming more alcohol.

The police applied charges for drunk driving and referred Kim Ho-jung to the prosecution, but the prosecution decided not to pursue the charges due to difficulties in establishing his blood alcohol level based solely on reverse calculation.

Both the first and second trial courts recognized all charges against Kim Ho-jung as guilty and sentenced him to 2 years and 6 months in prison.

The CEO of his agency, Think Entertainment, Lee Kwang-deuk, and General Manager Jeon Mo, who were indicted for their involvement in concealing Kim Ho-jung's drunk driving incident, were sentenced to 2 years and 1 year and 6 months in prison, respectively.

Additionally, the manager, Jang, who falsely confessed on Kim Ho-jung's behalf, received a sentence of 1 year in prison with a 2-year probation. They also did not appeal the second trial verdict, confirming the sentences.

Image source: News1, Singer Kim Ho-jung / News1