Singer Kim Ho-jung has been sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison in the second trial for the 'hit-and-run' incident, the same as in the first trial.
The Seoul Central District Court upheld the first trial's sentence of 2 years and 6 months in the appeal ruling for Kim Ho-jung.
While preparing for the appeal, Kim Ho-jung submitted a 100-page letter of reflection to the court and reportedly submitted an additional 30 pages of reflection letters before the ruling.
Kim Ho-jung was arrested and is on trial for fleeing after causing an accident while driving under the influence in Apgujeong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul last May.
Kim Ho-jung appeared before the police 17 hours after the accident and allegedly avoided DUI charges by intentionally drinking more alcohol, a method known as 'drunk driving evasion.' The prosecution stated that Kim Ho-jung was in a state where normal driving was difficult due to intoxication, but could not charge him with DUI as they could not clearly determine the blood alcohol concentration at the time of the accident.
In the first trial last November, Kim Ho-jung was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months. In his final statement, he said, "During the past four seasons, while being incarcerated in the Seoul Detention Center and coming to the final argument, I took the time to reflect thoroughly without missing any of my wrongdoings," and added, "The crime I committed will never be erased in my lifetime, but I will use this incident as a catalyst to cultivate a new life different from before."
