Lee Jaeryong Faces Additional Charges for Interfering with Breathalyzer Test Amid 'Attempted Alcohol Manipulation' Suspicion

by Kim Hyunjeong1

Published 13 Mar.2026 16:35(KST)

The police have added a charge of interfering with a breathalyzer test to actor Lee Jaeryong (62), who is accused of drunk driving in downtown Seoul.

The Gangnam Police Station in Seoul announced on the 13th that, in addition to the charges of drunk driving and failure to take measures after an accident under the Road Traffic Act, Lee has now also been charged with interfering with a breathalyzer test.

Actor Lee Jaeryong (62), accused of fleeing the scene after causing a drunk driving accident, was investigated at the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul and then went home four days after the incident on March 10, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

An amendment to the Road Traffic Act, which stipulates punishment for interfering with accurate breathalyzer tests by, for example, drinking alcohol after a drunk driving accident, went into effect in June last year. This amendment is also known as the "Kim Ho-joong Prevention Act."

Previous reports stated that after causing the accident, Lee fled the scene, parked at his residence in Cheongdam-dong, visited an acquaintance's house, and was apprehended around 2 a.m. the next day.

However, on the 13th, Yonhap News TV reported that "after parking, Lee walked to a restaurant about 20 minutes away on foot." This suggests that there was another drinking session between the accident and his apprehension. According to Yonhap News TV, it was a drinking party, and Lee and his acquaintances ordered one bottle of distilled liquor and two servings of skirt steak. However, it has not been confirmed whether Lee actually drank at this location.

The police reportedly suspect that there was an attempt to manipulate Lee's blood alcohol content, given that his acquaintances arrived at the restaurant immediately after the accident and the amount of food ordered was not large. Lee was apprehended around 2 a.m. the day after the accident and initially denied the drunk driving allegations, but is said to have later admitted, "I drank four shots of soju and then drove."

Meanwhile, Lee has previously been investigated by the police for alcohol-related incidents. In June 2019, he was booked for property damage after toppling and damaging a bowling alley signboard in Gangnam-gu, Seoul while intoxicated, but the prosecution deferred indictment. He was also booked in 2003 for colliding with another vehicle while driving under the influence in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.