Trot singer Kim Ho-jung (33), who was sentenced to prison for a drunk hit-and-run accident, is expected to have his sentence of 2 years and 6 months confirmed as he has decided to abandon his appeal.
On the 15th, a media outlet reported that Kim Ho-jung decided to give up his appeal and informed his acquaintances and fanbase of this fact. It was stated that his sentence has been confirmed, but it has been confirmed that the appeal withdrawal has not yet been submitted.
Kim Ho-jung was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in both the first and second trials for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (causing injury while driving dangerously).
The court stated, “The amount of alcohol consumed by the defendant on the day of the incident appears to be considerable, and it cannot simply be seen as an accident caused by manipulating a mobile phone,” adding, “It is evident that the defendant's ability to drive and judgment were significantly impaired due to alcohol, leading to the accident.”
Furthermore, it was noted, “In Kim Ho-jung's case, the nature of the crime is poor, and the circumstances after the crime are also not good. However, considering that the traffic accident was settled and that the defendant has no prior convictions or serious criminal record, it does not seem that the original sentence exceeds a reasonable range,” explaining the reasons for sentencing.
In response, Kim Ho-jung submitted an appeal on the 1st. The CEO of his agency, Think Entertainment, Lee Kwang-deuk, and the head of the department, Jeon Mo, who were indicted for their involvement in concealing Kim Ho-jung's drunk driving accident, also abandoned their appeals, resulting in confirmed sentences of 2 years and 1 year and 6 months, respectively.
Subsequently, Kim Ho-jung's case was formally filed with the Supreme Court on the 13th, and a public defender was appointed the following day. As of the 15th, he has received the judgment document for the appeal trial.
Kim Ho-jung is accused of driving under the influence and hitting a taxi on the opposite road in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and fleeing the scene while coercing his manager, Jang Mo, to file a false report. However, after 17 hours post-accident, Kim Ho-jung reported to the police, making it impossible to measure his blood alcohol concentration using the Widmark formula, thus excluding the drunk driving charge.
The prosecution sought a sentence of 3 years and 6 months for Kim Ho-jung, but both the first and second trial courts sentenced him to 2 years and 6 months. Kim Ho-jung submitted as many as 134 letters of remorse by the time of sentencing in an effort to reduce his sentence, but it did not influence the court's decision.
During the second hearing of the appeal held on the 19th of last month, Kim Ho-jung stated, “I apologize for causing public disturbance. I also apologize to the victim. I regret that my case has wasted public resources. Spending the last four seasons here, I have reflected deeply on my mistakes. I have tried to take time for remorse,” and added, “I know that this crime will never be erased from my life. I will live a different life from before, using this incident as a catalyst.”
He continued, “Everything is my fault, my mistake. I will sincerely reflect on this.”
