Group BTS member Suga (real name Min Yoon-gi) is not expected to appear at the police station today (22nd).
A representative from his agency Big Hit Music stated to Asia Economy on the 22nd, "Suga will not appear at Yongsan Police Station today."
Earlier, on the 21st, Seoul Shinmun reported, citing a police official, that Suga would appear at Yongsan Police Station in Seoul on that day to be investigated regarding the circumstances of his drinking and allegations of downplaying the incident.
When the police investigation date was made public, many reporters gathered at Yongsan Police Station waiting for Suga's appearance. They were paying close attention to whether Suga would personally apologize and clarify his position regarding this incident, but they had to leave without seeing him.
On the 6th, Suga was caught driving under the influence while riding an electric scooter near his home in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, after falling down in a heavily intoxicated state. At the time of discovery, he stated, "I drank one glass of beer and drove briefly," but according to later reports, his blood alcohol concentration was 0.227%, far exceeding the license cancellation threshold of 0.08%. If the blood alcohol concentration exceeds 0.2%, a guilty verdict can result in imprisonment from 2 to 5 years or a fine ranging from 10 million to 20 million KRW.
On the morning of the 22nd, the press was waiting at the annex of Yongsan Police Station in Seoul for Suga of the group BTS, who is suspected of riding an electric scooter while intoxicated, to appear at the police station. [Image source=Yonhap News]
At that time, the agency and Suga stated that he was wearing a helmet and had traveled about 500 meters on an electric kickboard before falling while parking, and that after a breathalyzer test by nearby police, he received a fine and license cancellation. They also added that there was no human or property damage caused by the accident.
However, the police later clarified that the vehicle Suga was riding at the time of the accident was not a personal mobility device (PM) referring to a general electric kickboard, but an electric scooter, and that no follow-up measures such as fines or license cancellation had been taken, raising suspicions that the agency and Suga might be trying to downplay the matter.
As complaints have been raised regarding Suga's status as a social service agent currently serving alternative military duty, and given that BTS is a globally beloved group, this incident has attracted significant attention from domestic and international media.
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