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| Lee Jae-ryong / Photo=DB |
According to the JoongAng Ilbo on the 9th, Seoul Gangnam Police said Lee’s camp informed investigators on the 7th — the day after the crash — that he had consumed four glasses of soju before the accident. Lee’s representatives also said he believed he only lightly grazed the median rather than striking it forcefully.
Responding to allegations that he drank further after the crash to interfere with breath testing — so-called "drinking to evade" — Lee’s side denied any intent to obstruct law enforcement. They said he simply attended a prearranged engagement after the incident and did not consume alcohol to hamper testing.
Lee’s attorney said, "On Saturday afternoon, the day after the crash, he acknowledged driving under the influence and gave a statement to police. We are coordinating a date for his formal appearance. He is deeply remorseful and apologizes for causing concern."
At around 11 p.m. on the 6th, Lee was driving near Samseong Jungang Station on Seoul Subway Line 9 when his vehicle struck a center median. The impact damaged the divider, and police allege he left the scene without taking proper action.
Immediately after the crash, Lee parked his car at home and later went to an acquaintance’s house, where police later detained him. Reports indicate his blood-alcohol concentration at the time of arrest reached the level that triggers license suspension. A rapid on-site drug test returned negative.
Police said they will use the Widmark formula to estimate Lee’s blood-alcohol concentration at the time of the collision, drawing on evidence from the vehicle’s dashcam and nearby CCTV footage.
Lee previously lost his license in 2003 after refusing a breathalyzer following another drunk-driving incident. In 2019, he received a suspended indictment after damaging a signboard at a Gangnam bowling alley while intoxicated.
In response to the current incident, the YouTube channel "Jjanhanhyung Shin Dong-yeop" set Lee’s episode — uploaded on the 23rd of last month — to private. The channel, which features celebrities in drinking mukbangs and conversations, appears to have removed Lee’s appearance following his arrest on drunk-driving charges.
Lee debuted in 1986 as part of MBC’s 18th class of contracted actors and has appeared in numerous dramas, including General Hospital, Sangdo, Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and The King's Daughter, Soo Baek-hyang. He married fellow actress Yoo Ho-jung in 1995; the couple has one son and one daughter.
While appearing on SBS’s Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 — You Are My Destiny in 2019, Yoo said she was shocked to hear someone claim her husband had drunk 14 bottles of soju and asked, "What is there to be proud of?" expressing concern about the remark.
[Sports Today reporter Kim Tae-hyung ent@stoo.com]
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