Actor Kim Sae-ron (23), who drove under the influence and collided with roadside trees and a transformer, was sentenced to a fine in the first trial.
On the morning of the 5th, Judge Lee Hwan-gi of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 4 sentenced Kim Sae-ron, who was indicted for violating the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving and failure to take action after an accident), to a fine of 20 million won. This is the same amount requested by the prosecutor.
The court stated, "Drunk driving is a crime that can cause serious harm to the lives, bodies, and property of others. The defendant's driving distance at the time was not short," adding, "However, considering that the defendant admitted the wrongdoing, compensated most of the damages, and is a first-time offender."
Kim Sae-ron said on the day, "This will never happen again," and apologized, saying, "I am sorry."
In the previous hearing, Kim Sae-ron admitted all charges. Her lawyer stated, "She has vowed never to commit such an offense again and is living a life avoiding alcohol as much as possible," adding, "She has sold all her vehicles and directly apologized to the victims and paid all compensation."
The lawyer also appealed for leniency, saying, "As the head of a single-parent household, she was supporting her family. Due to this case, not only the defendant but also her family is suffering financial hardship."
Earlier, Kim Sae-ron was brought to trial on charges of drunk driving and causing an accident by repeatedly hitting guardrails and roadside trees around 8 a.m. on May 18 last year in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
At the time, Kim Sae-ron's vehicle also collided with a transformer, cutting off electricity supply to 57 nearby stores, which was restored after about three hours. During this process, some surrounding shops experienced power outages, causing damages such as inability to process card payments.
Because Kim Sae-ron refused to measure her blood alcohol concentration, the police requested a blood test from the National Forensic Service. The test result showed a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 0.2%, well above the license cancellation level of 0.08%.
Kim Sae-ron, who debuted as a child actress, appeared in films such as "Ajeossi," "Neighbor," and "Babi," as well as dramas like "The Queen's Classroom" and "The Witch's Diner." After the accident, she withdrew from dramas and suspended her entertainment activities. Recently, it was reported that she faced financial difficulties and worked part-time at a cafe.
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