Trot singer Kim Ho-jung (32), who was indicted on charges including hit-and-run, did not disclose whether he admitted to the charges at his first trial.
Singer Kim Ho-jung, who is accused of drunk hit-and-run, is answering questions from the press as he is being transferred to the prosecution at Gangnam Police Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the morning of May 31. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 10th, Judge Choi Min-hye of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 26 held the first hearing for Kim, who was detained and indicted on charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (dangerous driving causing injury), and Lee Gwang-deuk, the agency representative accused of aiding the escape of a criminal. The first hearing concluded about 12 minutes after it began.
On that day, Kim, dressed in a black suit, limped into the courtroom. Kim’s defense attorney stated, “We have not yet completed copying and reviewing the case records,” and added, “We will state our position on the charges at the next hearing.” In contrast, Lee and the agency’s director Jeon admitted to the charges.
Kim was detained and indicted on suspicion of drinking alcohol and driving on Apgujeong-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, around 11:44 p.m. on May 9, crossing the center line, colliding with a taxi on the opposite lane, fleeing the scene, and having his manager Jang turn himself in on his behalf.
Kim initially denied drunk driving but admitted to the crime ten days after the accident. The police referred Kim to the prosecution on charges including drunk driving, but the charge was excluded at the indictment stage. The prosecution judged that it was difficult to determine the blood alcohol level based solely on reverse calculation.
The court scheduled Kim’s next hearing for the 19th of next month.
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