[Sportschosun Reporter Kim Jun-seok] Actor Son Seung-won, who had previously served time after being convicted of drunk driving, has been sentenced to one year in prison for his fifth drunk driving offense. The Prosecution Service has appealed the first-instance ruling.
According to a Star News report on the 16th, prosecutors recently filed an appeal with the court, challenging the first-instance verdict on charges including violations of the Road Traffic Act and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, such as hit-and-run causing injury. At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors had sought a four-year prison term for Son Seung-won.
On the 11th, Judge Kim Hyeong-seok of the Criminal Division 5, Single Judge, at the Seoul Western District Court sentenced Son Seung-won to one year in prison and ordered his immediate detention in court.
At the time, the court said, "The defendant admits all of the charges and was arrested in the act after driving the wrong way on Gangbyeonbuk-ro while heavily intoxicated." It added, "He also instructed his girlfriend to hide black box evidence and even made false statements, so the nature of the crime is poor and a custodial sentence is unavoidable."
The court explained the sentencing by saying, "He has belatedly admitted his wrongdoing, no traffic accident fortunately occurred, and we considered the pleas for leniency from his family and acquaintances."
In his final statement at the time, Son Seung-won said, "I admit all of the wrongs I committed and deeply regret them. If I am detained, my family will have to support my livelihood," and asked for leniency, but the request was rejected.
Son Seung-won was arrested in November last year after driving the wrong way on Gangbyeonbuk-ro for about two minutes while heavily intoxicated, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.165 percent. He was indicted in February this year.
During the police investigation, he falsely claimed that the designated driver had abandoned the car. He was also accused of trying to destroy evidence by telling his girlfriend, "The car is at Seoul Yongsan Police Station, so take out the black box storage device."
In particular, this case is said to be Son Seung-won's fifth drunk driving offense.
He was also prosecuted in 2018 for drunk driving in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam District, where he caused an accident and fled. He was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and served the term.
At the time, his driver's license had already been revoked after three prior drunk driving offenses, and he also carried the disgrace of being the first celebrity to be subject to the Yoon Chang-ho Act.
Adding to the controversy, it was later revealed last month, ahead of the current trial, that he had again gotten behind the wheel despite having his license revoked.
With the Prosecution Service appealing the first-instance ruling, Son Seung-won's sentence will be reviewed again on appeal.
narusi@sportschosun.com
