Prosecution Seeks 3 Years and 6 Months Imprisonment for Kim Ho-jung on Charges of Drunk Hit-and-Run

The prosecution has requested a sentence of 3 years and 6 months imprisonment for trot singer Kim Ho-jung (33), who was arrested and indicted on charges including 'drunk hit-and-run.'

On the 30th, the prosecution demanded 3 years and 6 months imprisonment at the first trial sentencing hearing for Kim Ho-jung's case, which was heard by Judge Choi Min-hye of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 26. The charges include violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (dangerous driving causing injury and hit-and-run causing injury), violation of the Road Traffic Act (failure to stop after an accident), and aiding a criminal.

Trot singer Kim Ho-jung, accused of 'hit-and-run under the influence'.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The prosecution also requested the court to sentence former Saenggak Entertainment (now Art M&C) CEO Lee Kwang-deuk (41) and director Jeon (39) to 3 years imprisonment each, and his manager Jang (39) to 1 year imprisonment.

In their sentencing opinion, the prosecution stated, "The negligence in this case is serious, and the defendants obstructed justice in an organized manner," adding, "We took into account the fact that this caused public outrage."

Kim Ho-jung is accused of driving under the influence on the evening of May 9 at 11:44 PM on Apgujeong-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, crossing the center line and colliding with a taxi on the opposite lane before fleeing the scene. He is also charged with having his manager Jang falsely confess on his behalf immediately after the accident.

Kim, who initially denied drunk driving, 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 specify the blood alcohol level solely by back-calculation, considering that Kim drank alcohol multiple times over a period.

The sentencing date is set for November 13.