Actor Lee Jae-ryong's side denies 'drinking' in court... “There was no purpose to interfere with measurement.”
Actor in Gangnam hit-and-run accident in Seoul denies charges of interfering with breathalyzer test at first trial
Quick Look
- Actor Lee Jae-ryong admitted to the charge of failing to take action after the accident at his first trial for a hit-and-run accident in Gangnam, Seoul, but denied the charge of interfering with a breathalyzer test.
- Witness examination is scheduled for March 24th next year.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Lee Jae-ryong was indicted without detention in August on charges of crashing into a median and running away while driving near Cheongdam Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul around 11 PM on March 6th of this year. The current Road Traffic Act stipulates that anyone who uses alcohol or medicine for the purpose of making alcohol testing difficult will be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year but not more than five years, or a fine of not less than 5 million won but not more than 20 million won. In 2024, a new regulation was established following the incident of Trot singer Kim Ho-jung and has been in effect since June of last year.
Actor Lee Jae-ryong, who was involved in a hit-and-run accident in Gangnam, Seoul, denied the so-called 'drinking' charge in court.
Lee Jae-ryong's lawyer said in the first trial of the case of failing to take action after an accident and interfering with a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act held on the 13th by Chief Judge Lee Jae-wook of the 10th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, "I admit the charge of failing to take action after an accident, but I deny interfering with a breathalyzer test."
He explained, “The intention was that there was no purpose to make the breathalyzer test difficult.”
Lee Jae-ryong, who entered the courtroom wearing a black suit, answered "I'm an actor" when asked by the judge about his occupation.
The court decided to hold another trial on March 24th next year to interrogate witnesses from people who were drinking with Lee Jae-ryong and the police who were dispatched to the scene of the accident.
Lee Jae-ryong was indicted without detention in August on charges of crashing into a median and running away while driving near Cheongdam Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul around 11 PM on March 6th of this year.
He attended another drinking party immediately after the accident and was arrested at an acquaintance's house about three hours later.
The Public Prosecution Service found that he drank again after the drunken accident and committed so-called 'drinking', interfering with the breathalyzer test, and charged him with interfering with the breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act.
However, the Public Prosecution Service excluded the drunk driving charge because it judged that Lee's blood alcohol concentration at the time of driving was not clearly proven to be more than 0.03%.
The current Road Traffic Act stipulates that anyone who uses alcohol or medicine for the purpose of making alcohol testing difficult will be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year but not more than five years, or a fine of not less than 5 million won but not more than 20 million won. In 2024, a new regulation was established following the incident of Trot singer Kim Ho-jung and has been in effect since June of last year.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The witness will be examined on March 24th next year to determine whether Lee Jae-ryong is suspected of interfering with a breathalyzer test.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What was Lee Jae-ryong's blood alcohol level at the time of driving?
- What is the testimony of the police who arrived at the scene of the accident?
- What about the statements of the people who were present at the drinking party?
