Singer Kim Ho-joong is under suspicion for fleeing the scene after causing a traffic accident. Additional details have emerged, including incidents such as his manager attending the police station wearing Kim Ho-joong’s clothes and the missing memory card from the black box.
According to the Seoul Gangnam Police Station on the 14th, Kim Ho-joong is being investigated for allegedly causing a hit-and-run accident with a taxi in Sinsa-dong, Seoul, at around 11:40 p.m. on the 9th.
CCTV footage of the accident shows a white SUV driving on a two-lane road colliding with a stopped taxi from the opposite lane. Despite the impact being significant enough to lift the wheel of the taxi, the driver of the SUV continued without stopping.
Although the SUV driver was Kim Ho-joong, the person who appeared at the police station about 3 hours after the accident claiming to be the driver was Kim Ho-joong’s manager, Mr. A. Mr. A confessed to the police that he was driving at the time of the accident and reportedly attended wearing the clothes Kim Ho-joong was wearing during the accident.
However, the police confirmed that the owner of the vehicle was Kim Ho-joong and questioned the driver. Kim Ho-joong only appeared at the police station around 4:30 p.m. the next day, 17 hours after the accident, following the police’s demand. Initially, Kim Ho-joong denied driving, but eventually admitted after intense questioning by the police. It was also reported that the memory card was missing from Kim Ho-joong’s car black box.
The police, who booked Kim Ho-joong for hit-and-run after the accident, are investigating the possibility that he may have committed theft after causing the accident while under the influence of alcohol. To this end, the police are reviewing CCTV footage from restaurants near the accident scene.
Kim Ho-joong’s agency, Think Entertainment, stated on the same day that “On the evening of the 9th, Kim Ho-joong was involved in a traffic accident with a taxi. After the accident, Kim Ho-joong parked the car in an alley, made a call with his manager, and during that time, the taxi driver reported it to the police” and explained that “Once the manager found out about the situation, he went to the police station and claimed responsibility for the incident, admitting that he was the driver.”
Furthermore, the agency stated that “Kim Ho-joong personally visited the police station, underwent investigation and alcohol testing the next day. The test results did not show any alcohol, and they are waiting for the results of the accident investigation,” adding that “Kim Ho-joong was too confused at the time of the accident to handle the aftermath properly. He apologizes for causing social controversy and promises that both the agency and Kim Ho-joong will do their best for post-accident procedures.”
Following the accident, Kim Ho-joong hosted the ‘Trabroti Classic Arena Tour 2024’ at Goyang Gymnasium in Goyang on the 11th and 12th. The event is scheduled to take place in Changwon on the 18th and 19th, and the ‘World Union Orchestra Super Classic: Kim Ho-joong & Primadonna’ performance is upcoming at the Olympic Park KSPO DOME (formerly Olympic Gymnastics Arena) on the 23rd and 24th.
Regarding the incident, Think Entertainment emphasized that “We will do our best to protect our artists, and we promise to protect the artist under any circumstances” and announced that “the scheduled ‘Trabroti Classic Arena Tour 2024’ in Changwon/Kimcheon and the World Union Orchestra Super Classic will proceed without any changes in schedule.”