'Financial Hardship' Kim Sae-ron Appoints Legal Team of Six Including Former Chief Prosecutor

Actress Kim Sae-ron (23), who was prosecuted for causing an accident while driving under the influence, is reported to have formed a legal team consisting of six lawyers.

According to the legal community on the 10th, Kim recently hired two law firms, one of which is said to be a major firm ranked among the 'top 10 domestic law firms.'

Kim employed Attorney A, the representative lawyer of the law firm and a former chief prosecutor, who is known to be an alumnus of the same university as the judge presiding over Kim Sae-ron's first trial session on the 8th.

Including the former prosecutor Attorney A, Kim reportedly hired a total of six lawyers as legal representatives.

At the First Trial: "Breadwinner... Family Also Struggling Financially Due to This Case"

Kim Sae-ron attending the first hearing for drunk driving charge
Photo by Yonhap News

At Kim Sae-ron's first trial on charges including violation of the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving), held on the 8th at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 4, her legal representatives stated, "Kim Sae-ron, who has supported her family as a breadwinner, is experiencing financial difficulties after paying compensation," adding, "Not only Kim but also her family is suffering from financial hardship due to this case."

However, negative public opinion arose regarding the defense's argument as Kim Sae-ron's expensive house and foreign cars, which she had revealed in past broadcasts, were brought back into the spotlight.

Criticism emerged that it is hard to accept her claim of being a "breadwinner" or suffering "financial hardship" now, after living a luxurious life that ordinary people can hardly dream of at such a young age.

Previously, in 2020, when Kim Sae-ron was twenty, she appeared on tvN's 'On and Off' and revealed a residential-commercial complex apartment in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, where she lived with her younger sibling. Kim's home was estimated to be around 48 to 49 pyeong (approximately 159 to 162 square meters) in size, and at that time, a 43-pyeong unit in the same complex was known to be priced at 2.3 billion KRW.

Kim Sae-ron also drove a Volvo XC40 worth around 50 million KRW on the show. In 2021, she posted on social media driving a Bentley convertible with a purchase price exceeding 200 million KRW. At the time of the drunk driving accident, she was driving a Range Rover valued at approximately 100 million KRW.

Blood Alcohol Concentration at the Time of the Accident Far Exceeded License Cancellation Level

Photo by Asia Economy DB

On the morning of May 18 last year, around 8 a.m., Kim Sae-ron was driving under the influence in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, when she repeatedly hit guardrails and street trees. She also collided with a transformer, causing power outages to 57 nearby stores and other locations, which were restored after about three hours. Kim is reported to have apologized and compensated the affected merchants individually.

At the time of the accident, Kim refused to have her blood alcohol concentration measured, so the police took a blood sample at a nearby hospital. According to the analysis by the National Forensic Service, Kim's blood alcohol concentration was measured at over 0.2%, significantly exceeding the license cancellation threshold of 0.08%.

Kim issued a handwritten apology stating, "I caused harm to many people," and "I should have acted more cautiously and responsibly, but I failed to do so. I sincerely apologize."

The prosecution requested a fine of 20 million KRW at the recent trial.

The reason for the request was, "Considering that the defendant is a first-time offender and has made efforts to restore damages by reaching agreements with the victims."

After the prosecution's request, Kim's lawyers stated in their closing argument, "The defendant is a breadwinner, and due to this case, not only she but also her family is suffering financial hardship," adding, "We believe the prosecutor took these circumstances into account when requesting the fine."

The court's decision will be announced on the morning of the 5th of next month. It is customary for the court's sentence to be lower than the prosecution's request. If the sentence is equal to or higher than the prosecution's request, it is considered unusual. In her final statement, Kim Sae-ron said, "I truly regret this," and "I will make sure this never happens again."

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