Prison guard's demand for 30 million won and fake news about choir performance: while imprisoned, Kim Ho-jung suffers from consecutive controversies
Singer Kim Ho-jung, who was serving a sentence after being convicted of drunk driving and hit-and-run, has again become the center of controversy after being implicated at the same time in a prison guard's demand for money and false reports about a performance.
According to the Ministry of Justice and correctional authorities last month, prison guard A at Somang Prison in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, was found to have allegedly demanded, "You helped arrange admission to Somang Prison, so give me 30 million won," and an internal inspection investigation is under way.
It is known that Kim Ho-jung did not actually pay any money, but in an interview with internal staff he revealed the matter amid fears that "refusing could lead to disadvantages during imprisonment," and that prompted a fact-finding investigation to begin.
The Ministry of Justice received the related report and launched an inspection procedure against A, and Kim Ho-jung's side briefly told some media outlets that "it ended as a mere incident."
#. "He appeared on the choir stage" report: Kim Ho-jung's side calls it "fake news"
Separately, Kim Ho-jung was recently embroiled in another controversy. One outlet reported that Kim Ho-jung had appeared on stage at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts as a member of Somang Prison's choir.
However, Kim Ho-jung's agency strongly denied this in an interview with OSEN. A representative flatly denied the report, saying, "Kim Ho-jung did not visit the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and is not a member of the choir."
Earlier, the outlet claimed that Kim Ho-jung participated in the 42nd Sejin Music Concert "Harmony of recovery and reconciliation," but that was confirmed to be untrue.
#. Drunk driving and hit-and-run → ordered a manager to surrender in his place → imprisonment: continuing controversies
In May last year, Kim Ho-jung was arrested and prosecuted on charges of driving under the influence in Apgujeong, Seoul, crossing the center line, colliding with a taxi and leaving the scene. It later emerged that he even ordered his manager to surrender on his behalf, drawing heavy social criticism.
He was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison in the first and second trials and is serving his sentence, and in August he was transferred from Seoul Detention Center to Somang Prison, a private prison in Yeoju.
With the inspection into the prison guard's demand for money and the false report about the "choir stage," controversies surrounding Kim Ho-jung have shown little sign of abating even while he is incarcerated.
[Photo] 'OSEN DB'
[OSEN]