BTS member Suga let off with fine as prosecutors close DUI case

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BTS member Suga let off with fine as prosecutors close DUI case

Published: 10 Sep. 2024, 16:48 Updated: 10 Sep. 2024, 18:22

YOON SO-YEON
yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr

Suga of boy band BTS at Yongsan Police Station in central Seoul [NEWS1]

Prosecutors let off BTS member Suga with a fine for his e-scooter DUI incident, reports said Tuesday.

The 31-year-old singer, whose real name is Min Yoon-gi, was given a summary order, where prosecutors close the case with the necessary penalties without opening up a trial.

"We gave a summary order according to our standards of operation," an official from the prosecution told reporters without revealing the amount of the fine.

Suga was investigated for drunk-driving an e-scooter on Aug. 6 in central Seoul. His blood alcohol level was 0.227 percent at the time, three times higher than the 0.08 percent for getting one's driver's license revoked.

A drunk driver can be sentenced to more than one year and less than two years of prison or receive a fine of between 5 million won ($3,719) and 10 million won if the blood alcohol level is above 0.08 percent. However, if the level exceeds 0.2 percent, then the jail time can increase to more than two years but less than five years, and the fine can also be adjusted to between 10 million won and 20 million won.

Suga is asked questions by reporters after arriving at the Yongsan Police Station to be questioned over this alleged DUI case on Aug. 23 in central Seoul. [NEWS1]

BTS member Suga enters the Yongsan Police Station in central Seoul to be questioned by police on his DUI allegation on Aug. 23. [YONHAP]

Suga was questioned for three hours on Aug. 23 at Yongsan Police Station in central Seoul, during which he admitted his wrongdoings to the police and apologized to the press.

He also uploaded a handwritten letter of apology on fan community app Weverse, where he repeatedly expressed his regret for having damaged the reputation of not only himself but also BTS, and for disappointing the fans.

"Everything is my fault," he wrote in the letter. "I have put a major scratch in the precious memories that the members [of BTS] and fans have made together, and also damaged the name of BTS. I cannot fully express how regretful and agonized I feel to have harmed the members and the team. I am so sorry to put the members, who have always trusted me, through all this."

The singer is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service as a social service agent, a role that typically involves a regular daily work schedule, allowing him to return home after work hours. His service is set to end in June 2025.

Update, Sept. 10: Added further background details to article.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]