In this file photo, handcuffed popera singer Kim Ho-joong (C) exits the Seoul Central District Court in the capital city on May 24, 2024, after undergoing a review of his arrest warrant on the charge of a DUI hit-and-run. Kim is suspected of having rammed into a parked taxi while driving under the influence on the night of May 9 in Seoul’s southern Gangnam district. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A local court on Wednesday sentenced popera star Kim Ho-joong to 2 1/2 years in prison on charges of ramming into a taxi and fleeing the scene.
In delivering the sentence, the Seoul Central District Court said Kim “fled irresponsibly” even after having caused damage to the taxi and its driver while driving under the influence, and caused confusion in the police’s investigation by making his manager falsely surrender himself to the authorities on his behalf.
Kim, 32, was indicted under arrest on charges of ramming his car into a parked taxi in the opposite lane in Seoul’s Gangnam Ward on May 9, leaving the scene and then making his manager turn himself in as the perpetrator.
The singer acknowledged responsibility 10 days after the incident.
Police had filed for a DUI charge as well, but the prosecution removed it from its indictment, citing the difficulty of getting an accurate blood alcohol concentration measurement retroactively.
Prosecutors had demanded a 3 1/2-year prison term for Kim.
(Yonhap)
