Singer Kim Ho-joong is escorted to a detention center at Gangnam Police Station in Seoul, May 24. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok

Trot singer Kim Ho-joong, 33, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for charges including hit-and-run and obstructing justice following a DUI incident. The court condemned his lack of responsibility and poor judgment.

Judge Choi Min-hye of the Seoul Central District Court's criminal division handed down Wednesday the sentence for Kim, who faced charges under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, as well as violating the Road Traffic Act.

Choi expressed doubt about Kim's remorse, saying, "Given the defendant's overall behavior, it is questionable whether he felt even a shred of guilt for his actions. Even though CCTV footage clearly shows him staggering due to intoxication, he has continued to deny and make excuses."

Kim was arrested following a May 9 incident in Seoul's Gangnam District, where he allegedly hit a taxi while driving under the influence and fled the scene.

He attempted to have an agency staff member make a false confession on his behalf to cover up the crime. Although he eventually admitted to the incident, his DUI charge was dropped due to difficulties in determining his exact blood alcohol content.

Choi emphasized Kim's irresponsibility, noting, "Despite causing personal and property damage, he irresponsibly fled the scene and further instructed his manager to make a false confession, causing initial investigation confusion and wasting police resources."

She added that while he had belatedly acknowledged the crime and compensated the victim with 60 million won ($45,000), this was factored into his sentencing.

Kim listened to the sentencing with his head lowered, showing no visible reaction.

Choi sentenced the CEO of Kim's agency, Lee Kwang-deuk, to two years in prison for directing Kim's manager, identified as Jang, to make a false confession. Jang received a suspended sentence of one year, while another executive was sentenced to 18 months for tampering with evidence by destroying the vehicle's black box memory card.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.