Prosecutors sought a prison sentence for Nam Tae-hyun (32), a former member of the group Winner, who caused a drunk driving accident while on probation for drug use.
On the 12th, Judge Yang Eun-sang of the Seoul Western District Court, Criminal Division 11 Single-Judge Panel, held the second hearing for Nam Tae-hyun, who was indicted on charges including violating the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving). Prosecutors said Nam's "crime is egregious" and sought one year and six months in prison and a fine of 1 million won.
Prosecutors asked the court to consider that Nam Tae-hyun is a repeat offender of the same type of crime and that he was caught drunk driving while on probation.
In his final statement, Nam Tae-hyun said, "I was fortunate and gained popularity, fame, and financial rewards at a young age, but I was not prepared internally," and added, "I know my past actions are unacceptable, and I will make sure the same thing never happens again."
Nam Tae-hyun is accused of driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.122%, exceeding the license revocation threshold (0.08%), near Dongjak Bridge in Seoul on Apr. 27 last year.
This is the second time Nam Tae-hyun has faced controversy over drunk driving. In March 2023, he caused a traffic accident while intoxicated and received a summary order of a 6 million won fine. In Jan. 2024, he was also brought to trial on charges including using methamphetamine with his former partner, Seo Eun-woo (formerly known as Seo Min-jae), and was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years. The latest drunk driving incident occurred during that suspended sentence period.
Immediately after this drunk driving was detected, police applied for an arrest warrant, considering that Nam Tae-hyun was on probation. However, during the warrant review, the court dismissed the request, finding that "grounds for detention are insufficient."
Debuting in 2014 with the idol group "Winner," Nam Tae-hyun left the team after two years and formed the band "South Club" to resume his music career. However, he later became embroiled in various controversies and halted his activities in the entertainment industry.
The sentencing hearing for Nam Tae-hyun is at 2 p.m. on the 9th of next month.