100 letters of apology, Kim Ho-joong, 2nd appeal today (19th)..Will he be sentenced to two and a half years in prison?
Mar 19, 2025
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Earlier in the day, the Criminal Appeals Department 5-3 of the Seoul Central District Court will proceed with the second trial of Kim Ho-joong, who was indicted on charges of violating the law on aggravated punishment for certain crimes (hazardous driving injuries).
The court plans to conclude the defense with the interrogation of the suspect against Kim Ho-joong.
Kim Ho-joong submitted more than 100 letters of apology to the Seoul Central District Court last month and appealed for leniency. He also sent a handwritten letter to his fans.
Kim Ho-joong was arrested and charged with violating the central line while drinking and driving on a road in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, at around 11:45 p.m. on May 9 last year, causing a contact accident with a taxi on the other side of the road and fleeing.
Kim Ho-joong, who denied drunk driving immediately after the accident, admitted to the crime 10 days after the accident. However, the prosecution excluded the charge of drunk driving at the prosecution stage because it was difficult to determine the drinking level.
In a final hearing held in September, the prosecution raised public resentment by committing serious and systematic acts of obstruction of justice," he said, asking the court to sentence Kim Ho-joong to three and a half years in prison.
The court belatedly admitted the crime and its responsibility and sentenced the victim to two and a half years in prison considering the agreement, including paying 60 million won to the victim and agreeing to it. However, Kim Ho-joong immediately submitted an appeal.
In response, the so-called 「Kim Ho-jung Prevention Act」, which calls for unconditional punishment for `drinking' that interferes with alcohol measurement by drinking more after a drunk driving accident last year, passed the National Assembly plenary session.
The amendment established a new regulation prohibiting obstruction of alcohol measurement through alcohol-related methods, and made it possible to punish obstruction of alcohol measurement at the same level as refusal of alcohol measurement.
The amendment stipulated that the statutory sentence for obstructors of alcohol consumption measurement is the same as that for those who refuse alcohol consumption measurement, ' imprisonment for not less than 1 year and not more than 5 years or a fine of not less than 5 million won and not more than 20 million won'.
In addition, a basis for aggravated punishment has been established for those who have driven under the influence of alcohol more than twice within 10 years, refuse to measure or interfere with alcohol consumption.
In response, Kim Ho-joong was sentenced to two and a half years in prison at the first trial held on November 13 last year.
shyun@sportschosun.com
