Kim Ho-jung's Detention Warrant Hearing to Proceed Tomorrow as Scheduled... Prosecution's Lead Prosecutor to Attend in Person

The legal team of singer Kim Ho-jung (33), who has had an arrest warrant requested on charges including 'drunk hit-and-run,' asked on the 24th to postpone the warrant hearing scheduled for that day until after his concert, but the court did not accept the request.

Although the police applied for the arrest warrant, the prosecution plans for the prosecutor in charge to attend the warrant hearing in person to explain the necessity of detention to the court.

Trot singer Kim Ho-jung, who is accused of 'hit-and-run under the influence,' is leaving after completing an investigation at the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul on the afternoon of the 21st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the legal community on the 23rd, Kim's lawyer submitted a request to the court in the morning to change the date of Kim's warrant hearing. However, the court rejected Kim's side's request.

Accordingly, Kim's warrant hearing will proceed as scheduled on the 24th at 12:00 PM under the supervision of Judge Shin Young-hee, who is in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court.

Prior to this, the warrant hearings for Lee Kwang-deuk (41), CEO of Kim's agency Saenggak Entertainment, and former director Jeon will be held on the same day at 11:30 AM and 11:45 AM, respectively.

On the night of the 9th, around 11:40 PM, Kim, while intoxicated, drove a car and caused an accident by colliding with a taxi on the opposite side of a road in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and then fled the scene.

Agency CEO Lee is accused of instructing Kim's manager to falsely surrender after the accident, and former director Jeon is suspected of removing the memory card from Kim's vehicle's black box.

The police applied for arrest warrants the previous day against Kim on charges including violation of the Specific Crimes Aggravated Punishment Act (hit-and-run causing injury and dangerous driving causing injury), violation of the Road Traffic Act (failure to take measures after an accident), and aiding the escape of a criminal. They also applied for arrest warrants against CEO Lee for aiding the escape of a criminal, and former director Jeon for aiding the escape of a criminal and evidence tampering.

The prosecution filed arrest warrants for the three individuals the previous afternoon.

On the day, the prosecution stated, "The Human Rights Protection Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Im Il-soo) will have the prosecutor in charge personally attend the pre-arrest suspect interrogation procedure for Kim, CEO Lee, and former director Jeon, submit a written opinion, and fully present the grounds for detention." Unlike cases where the prosecution directly requests an arrest warrant, when the police apply for one, prosecutors usually do not attend the warrant hearing. However, considering the importance of this case, the prosecutor will attend in person to appeal to the court the necessity of detention due to concerns such as evidence tampering.

Additionally, the prosecution added, "This case involves organized and planned evidence tampering and aiding the escape of a criminal, constituting obstruction of justice. Given the seriousness of the matter and the high risk of evidence destruction, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has been cooperating closely with the police to respond strictly and will do its utmost to ensure no doubts remain in the ongoing investigation."

Meanwhile, Kim's side stated that despite the arrest warrant application, the Seoul concert scheduled for the 23rd and 24th at the KSPO Dome (Gymnastics Stadium) in Olympic Park will proceed as planned.