'Jang Je-won’s Son' Jang Yong-jun, First Appeal Trial Today for Unlicensed Driving and Refusal of Breath Test

Rapper Jang Yong-jun (Noel), son of Assemblyman Jang Je-won [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The first appeal trial of rapper Jang Yongjun (22, stage name Noel), who was sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial for refusing a breathalyzer test and assaulting a police officer, will be held. Jang is the son of Jang Je-won, a member of the People Power Party.

At 10 a.m. on the 9th, the 4-3 Criminal Appeals Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Cha Eun-kyung) will conduct the first appeal trial of Jang, who was indicted for violating the Road Traffic Act (driving without a license) and other charges.

Previously, on September 18 last year, around 10:30 p.m., Jang was arrested at the scene on suspicion of refusing a breathalyzer test and assaulting a police officer after causing a collision with another vehicle while driving a Mercedes-Benz passenger car at an intersection in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

Videos released during the trial showed Jang using abusive language such as "Get out of the way, you XX," engaging in a physical struggle with the responding police officers, and staggering on the road to avoid getting into the patrol car. The police handcuffed Jang, grabbed both his arms, and put him into the vehicle. There was also footage of Jang assaulting a police officer while inside the car.

The first trial sentenced him to one year in prison. The court stated, "The defendant committed this crime of refusing a breathalyzer test and assault despite having a criminal record including drunk driving and receiving a suspended sentence. The guilt is serious, making a prison sentence inevitable."

However, since the Constitutional Court ruled last month that the so-called 'Yoon Chang-ho Act' provisions, which impose heavier penalties on drivers who repeatedly drive under the influence or refuse breathalyzer tests, are unconstitutional, it is expected that the charges applied in Jang’s appeal trial will be changed to general Road Traffic Act provisions.

Article 148-2, Paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Act stipulates that those who commit drunk driving and refusal of breathalyzer tests two or more times, or refuse breathalyzer tests two or more times, shall be punished by imprisonment of 2 to 5 years or a fine of 10 million to 20 million won. However, the Constitutional Court pointed out that imposing uniform heavier penalties on relatively minor repeat offenses without any restrictions related to past violations is wrong.

In 2019, Jang was also indicted for crashing into a motorcycle while driving under the influence in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and was sentenced in June 2020 to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 2-year probation period.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.