Singer Kim Ho-jung, who is serving time due to a hit-and-run incident involving drunk driving, pleaded for leniency.
On the morning of the 19th, the 5th Criminal Appeal Division of the Seoul Central District Court held a second appellate trial for Kim Ho-jung and three others, who were indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (causing injury through dangerous driving), among other charges.
Dressed in prison clothes and limping into the courtroom, Kim Ho-jung said in his closing argument, "I am sorry for causing public unrest. I also apologize to the victim. I regret that my case has wasted public resources. Spending the last four seasons here, I have closely examined my wrongdoings. I have tried to take time for reflection. I know that this sin will never be erased in my lifetime. I will live a different life from before, using this incident as a catalyst." Additionally, Kim Ho-jung said, "Everything is my fault, my mistake. I genuinely repent," and pleaded for leniency.
Kim Ho-jung's side focused on denying the drunk driving charges during the argument. The lawyer claimed that a CCTV image of Kim Ho-jung with the madam of the bar where he was staying on the day of the incident showed, "The gestures of the madam next to Kim Ho-jung were not to support him because he was drunk, but merely expressions of familiarity," and argued that "there is no basis for determining that Kim Ho-jung had difficulty driving normally."
Furthermore, regarding the false surrender involving the manager, the lawyer claimed, "Kim Ho-jung and the other defendants are relatives or individuals who have been together for a long time. Kim Ho-jung was merely influenced by the decisions of the managers," arguing for aiding and abetting. Concerning the allegations of 'shifting blame,' the lawyer emphasized, "Kim Ho-jung acknowledges all his mistakes and is fully aware of the responsibility and remorse. However, this incident was not a result of Kim Ho-jung's drunk driving, but rather an event that occurred due to manipulating his phone while driving. Normally, he does not drink heavily for condition management, and this was proven in forensic evaluations and police investigations."
The prosecution stated, "We hope you will reject the appeal and uphold the original sentence," and sought the same sentence of 3 years and 6 months in prison as in the first trial.
Kim Ho-jung is facing accusations of hitting a taxi while driving on a road in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, in May of last year, and fleeing the scene while causing his manager to make a false surrender. Kim Ho-jung appeared at the police station 17 hours after the accident, but is under suspicion of deliberately drinking more to avoid punishment for drunk driving, a practice known as 'shifting blame.'
In November of last year, after being sentenced to three years and six months in prison in the first trial, Kim Ho-jung proceeded with an appeal.
[OSEN = Reporter Jang Woo-young]