The suspended prison sentence for Shin Hye-sung (real name Jeong Pil-gyo), a member of the group Shinhwa, who was caught driving under the influence and refusing a police breathalyzer test, has been finalized.
According to the legal community on the 10th, it was confirmed that Shin Hye-sung and the prosecution did not submit an appeal within the appeal period against the appellate court's ruling that sentenced him to a suspended prison term. In criminal trials, to have the court reconsider its judgment, an appeal or further appeal must be filed within 7 days from the date of sentencing.
Shinhwa member Shin Hye-sung is heading to a vehicle after finishing the sentencing trial held at the Seoul Eastern District Court in Songpa-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Earlier, the Criminal Appeals Division 3 of the Seoul Eastern District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Han-seong) on the 12th of last month sentenced Shin Hye-sung, who was indicted for refusing a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act and illegal use of a vehicle, to 6 months in prison with a 1-year suspension, the same as the first trial. The court dismissed the prosecution's appeal, stating, "Even considering all the circumstances specially emphasized by the prosecutor in the appellate trial, the original sentence is not deemed too lenient to exceed the reasonable range of sentencing discretion."
In October 2022, Shin Hye-sung drank at a restaurant in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, then drove someone else's car home and fell asleep on the road. The police responded to a report that "a vehicle was stopped in the middle of the road" and requested a breathalyzer test from Shin Hye-sung, who was sleeping inside the car, but he refused and was arrested on the spot.
It was investigated that Shin Hye-sung drove about 10 km while heavily intoxicated. However, since there was no intent to steal the vehicle, the charge of illegal use of a vehicle was applied.
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