Actor Son Seung-won jailed for fifth drunk-driving offense

Actor Son Seung-won, the first celebrity sentenced under the so-called Yun Chang-ho Act, has been given one year in prison and taken into custody for a fifth drunk-driving offense. Despite multiple prior criminal punishments for drunk driving, he got behind the wheel again — and was found to have attempted to destroy evidence in the process.

Judge Kim Hyeong-seok of Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 5 handed down the one-year prison term Thursday, convicting Son on charges including drunk driving under the Road Traffic Act.

Son's girlfriend, identified only by her surname Kim, 30, was indicted alongside him on charges of helping conceal evidence. She received a suspended fine of 1.5 million won (about $985).

Son was arrested at the scene last November after driving the wrong way on the Gangbyeon Expressway for about two minutes with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.165 percent. He was indicted in February. It was his fifth drunk-driving offense.

His blood alcohol level at the time of arrest was more than double the 0.08 percent threshold for license revocation.

Son also allegedly lied to police during questioning, claiming a designated driver had abandoned his car. He also instructed his girlfriend to remove the dashcam storage device from his vehicle, which was impounded at Yongsan Police Station — an attempt to destroy evidence that was later uncovered.

The court was scathing in its assessment. "He drove while intoxicated and, upon being arrested at the scene, instructed his girlfriend to conceal evidence including the dashcam — making his conduct particularly serious," the court said. It added that it took into account Son's wrong-way driving while heavily intoxicated, his denial of the offense and false statements when caught, his high blood alcohol level, and his multiple prior criminal punishments for drunk driving.

Judge Kim ordered Son taken into immediate custody, citing a risk of flight.

The court noted in Son's favor, however, that he had eventually admitted his guilt, that no traffic accident had resulted, and that he had submitted evidence after the concealment attempt was discovered.

After sentencing, Son said he "deeply reflects on and regrets" his actions, but pleaded to be allowed to remain free while preparing his appeal, saying his detention would force his family to bear the burden of supporting themselves. The court rejected his request.

Son received summary orders on two separate drunk-driving offenses in 2015 alone.

In 2018, while under investigation for rear-ending a taxi while drunk, he caused another accident at a blood alcohol level high enough to warrant license revocation.

The court at the time sentenced him to one year and six months in prison under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Specific Crimes — commonly known as the Yun Chang-ho Act — on charges of causing injury through dangerous driving under the influence. Son was the first celebrity sentenced under the law.

The Yun Chang-ho Act toughens penalties for drivers who cause accidents while drunk.

The legislation was revised following the death of Yun Chang-ho, who was struck by a drunk driver in Haeundae-gu, Busan, in September 2018, fell into a brain-dead state and later died. Its central provision imposes harsher penalties on drivers who cause casualties while driving under the influence.

Son made his debut in the musical "Spring Awakening" in 2009 and has appeared in the KBS 2TV dramas "Hello Monster" and "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho," as well as JTBC's "Laughter in Waikiki."

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https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/10769929