[JoyNews24 reporter Imiyoung] Trot singer Kim Ho-jung has been booked on charges of hit-and-run, and the video of the accident has been released.
On the 14th, Channel A News obtained and released a video of Kim Ho-jung’s accident. According to the video, the imported SUV driven by Kim Ho-jung crossed the center line and crashed into a taxi on a road in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul, at 11:44 pm on the 9th. Despite the impact being enough to sway the wheels, the vehicle fled without taking any measures.
Two hours after the accident on the 10th, around 2 am, Kim Ho-jung’s manager visited the police station and confessed, “I was the one driving.” The police confirmed that the vehicle was owned by Kim Ho-jung, and Kim Ho-jung reportedly admitted to driving after the police’s questioning.
Kim Ho-jung underwent an alcohol test at 4:30 pm on the following day, 17 hours after the accident occurred. His agency claimed, “The alcohol test result showed that he was not driving under the influence of alcohol.”
According to reports, the black box inside Kim Ho-jung’s vehicle was missing a memory card, so there was no recorded video footage. The whereabouts of the memory card have not been confirmed yet.
On the same day, SBS’s ‘8 o’clock News’ reported, “Kim Ho-jung’s manager A confessed to the police that he caused the accident while driving, and it was confirmed that he left for the police station wearing the clothes Kim Ho-jung wore at the time of the accident.”.
Kim Ho-jung’s agency, Think Entertainment, explained through an official press release, “After the accident, Kim Ho-jung parked the car in an alley, talked with the manager, and during that time, a taxi driver reported to the police. When the manager learned about the situation, he went to the police station to confess and took responsibility for the incident, claiming that he was the one driving. After learning about this, Kim Ho-jung went to the police station himself for questioning and an alcohol test.”
Kim Ho-jung’s side conveyed, “At the time of the accident, Kim Ho-jung did not handle the aftermath properly due to being flustered,” and “We apologize for causing social controversy and promise that both the agency and Kim Ho-jung will do their best for the post-accident processing.”
However, some have raised suspicions of a driver switch, citing that Kim Ho-jung initially denied driving but later admitted to it, and that the manager falsely confessed to the police while wearing Kim Ho-jung’s clothes.
Despite the controversy, Kim Ho-jung hinted at continuing his activities. The agency stated on the fan cafe, “The ‘Tbaroti Classic Arena Tour 2024’ scheduled for Changwon/Kimcheon and the World Union Orchestra Super Classic will proceed as planned without any schedule changes.”
They also added, “An accident occurred with a taxi on the evening of the 9th and we deeply regret the mishandling of the aftermath. We promise to do our best to protect the artist and ensure their safety in all circumstances.”
The police plan to conduct further investigations regarding Kim Ho-jung’s drunk driving status.
/Imiyoung reporter(mycuzmy@joynews24.com)[Related article]
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