K-pop star gets 8-year prison sentence for DUI
What's the story
Ahn Ye Song, a former member of K-pop girl group INSTAR and now a DJ (DJ Yesong), has been sentenced to eight years in prison after she fatally drunk-drove.
She drove her Mercedes-Benz SUV under the influence causing the death of a delivery worker in his 50s.
The South Korean Supreme Court upheld her sentence on December 10, local outlets reported recently.
Sentence reduction
Song's sentence reduced after expressing regret
Initially, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for fleeing the scene without helping the victim. However, her sentence was later reduced to eight years. This happened after she expressed remorse and settled with the victim's family.
During a September hearing, Song said, "I plan to give up my career and dreams."
Prosecutors had initially sought a 15-year sentence for her lack of remorse.
Legal proceedings
Song's lawyer admitted to charges and need for treatment
Song's lawyer appeared in court on her behalf, saying she accepted the charges against her.
"She drank excessively at an industry event and drove while intoxicated and has no recollection of the incident. She understands the seriousness of needing alcohol addiction treatment," the lawyer said.
Despite largely admitting her wrongdoing, Song's legal team controversially argued the victim bore partial responsibility, saying, "If the victim had gone to the secondary road, the accident might not have occurred."
This drew heavy criticism.
Personal disclosure
Song opened up about financial struggles amid controversy
Song revisited her earlier remarks and spoke candidly about the financial pressures she was under.
She explained, "At the time, I was experiencing financial hardship due to the lack of bookings. I was at an important gathering that had my livelihood at stake, and I couldn't refuse to drink."
While her admission of guilt provided a sense of accountability, her disclosure of financial struggles added another layer of complexity to the case.
Accident details
Details of the fatal accident involving Song
The hearing comes after the February accident when Song was behind the wheel despite being severely intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of 0.221%, far above the legal limit for license revocation.
The 20-something artist hit a motorcyclist in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, reportedly after attempting to flee the scene of a prior collision.
She was arrested and put on trial for the incident.