Kim Ho-joong set for early release after hit-and-run case
Kim Ho-joong / Xportsnews
Singer Kim Ho-joong, who is serving a prison sentence after being convicted of a hit-and-run collision while intoxicated, will be released later this month after being granted parole.
A representative for Kim told Xportsnews on Tuesday that the singer recently passed a parole review conducted by the Ministry of Justice and is scheduled to be released on June 30.
Kim has been serving his sentence at the Somang Correctional Institution in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, after being transferred from Seoul Detention Center in August last year.
Under Korean law, inmates who have served at least one-third of their sentence may become eligible for parole. Authorities review multiple factors, including the seriousness of the crime, behavior during incarceration and the risk of reoffending.
Kim was reportedly not selected during a parole review conducted late last year. However, after a subsequent review, he was included on the latest parole list, with reports saying his conduct while incarcerated was taken into account.
The singer was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for fleeing the scene after causing a traffic accident while under the influence of alcohol in Seoul's upscale Apgujeong neighborhood on May 9, 2024.
According to prosecutors, Kim crashed into a taxi traveling in the opposite direction and then left the scene. He was later convicted of charges including injury resulting from fleeing an accident and failing to take required measures after the crash.
Kim had originally been scheduled for release on Nov. 24 this year. With parole approval granted after he served approximately 80 percent of his sentence, he will leave prison nearly five months earlier than planned.
The case drew widespread public criticism in Korea because Kim initially denied driving under the influence and became embroiled in allegations that people around him attempted to help conceal aspects of the incident. The controversy severely damaged the image of the singer, who had built a large fan base through his success in the trot music genre.
Following his release, Kim will remain under probation supervision for the duration of his parole period. Any major changes, including a change of residence or overseas travel, will require approval from relevant authorities.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.