Singer Kim Ho-joong moved to Korea’s only Christian-run private prison

Kim Ho-joong / Korea Times file

South Korean singer Kim Ho-joong, who rose to stardom through the hit TV competition “Mr. Trot,” has entered Somang Prison, the country’s only privately operated correctional facility, after receiving a sentence of two years and six months for a hit-and-run while intoxicated.

Kim was transferred on Aug. 18 from the Seoul Detention Center to Somang Prison in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, legal sources said Wednesday. Established in 2010, Somang is the first and only private prison in South Korea, operated on a nonprofit basis by the Christian foundation Agape under government supervision.

Somang Prison has a reputation for strict entry requirements, accepting only carefully screened applicants. Inmates must be men between 20 and 60 years of age, serving sentences of seven years or less and at least one year remaining in their sentence. Those with more than two prior convictions or whose crimes involved drugs, organized crime or national security offenses are excluded. All applicants are screened by the Ministry of Justice, and admission is only approved after interviews and background checks.

Kim, a practicing Christian, was reportedly transferred following counseling sessions and interviews with prison officials. However, it remains unclear whether he personally requested the move or if it was recommended during the screening process.

Kim rose to fame in 2020 after appearing on “Mr. Trot,” becoming one of South Korea’s most popular trot and crossover singers. However, his career was derailed in May last year when he was arrested for driving under the influence in Seoul’s Gangnam District. He crossed the centerline, collided with a taxi and fled the scene. Prosecutors said Kim later attempted to persuade an agency employee to falsely confess to the accident on his behalf.

He was sentenced to two years and six months. His appeal was dismissed, with the appellate court saying, “the offense was of a serious nature.” Kim withdrew his Supreme Court appeal in May, finalizing his sentence. He is expected to be released in November 2026 if he serves the full term.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.