‘Hit-and-Run While Drunk’ Kim Ho-jung Admits All Charges... Sentencing Hearing on September 30

Trot singer Kim Ho-jung (32), who was arrested and indicted on charges including hit-and-run while driving under the influence, admitted to all charges during the trial.

Trot singer Kim Ho-jung. [Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 19th, Judge Choi Min-hye of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 26 held the second hearing for Kim, who was prosecuted on charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (dangerous driving causing injury). Kim's side stated, "We admit to all the facts of the indictment" and "We have reached a settlement with the victim."

After reviewing the evidence records, the court announced it would hold the closing arguments on the 30th of next month. Considering that the sentencing date is usually set about a month after the closing arguments, the first trial verdict could be delivered around the end of October this year.

Kim was arrested and indicted on charges of driving under the influence on the night of May 9 at around 11:44 p.m. in Apgujeong-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. He crossed the center line while driving after drinking, collided with a taxi on the opposite side of the road, fled the scene, and had his manager turn himself in on his behalf.

Kim initially denied driving under the influence but confessed to the crime ten days after the accident. Although the police transferred Kim to the prosecution including the DUI charge, it was excluded at the indictment stage. The prosecution judged that it was difficult to confirm the blood alcohol level based solely on reverse calculation.

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