One of the biggest known Korean trot singers is under investigation for a hit-and-run incident he’s been involved in!
Police are also said to be considering conducting a forced investigation, including a search and seizure, on singer Kim Ho Joong (33), who has been charged with hit-and-run.
The Seoul Gangnam Police Station confirmed that the memory card of Kim Ho Joong’s vehicle’s black box, who is charged with violating the Road Traffic Act (failure to take action after an accident), has disappeared, and applied for a search and seizure warrant on the 14th. Kim Ho Joong was summoned for questioning twice, on the 10th and the 14th, and it was revealed that he underwent intensive overnight questioning for eight hours on the 14th.
Kim Ho Joong is currently being charged with fleeing after colliding with a taxi while driving in the direction opposite to it in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, around 11:40 p.m. on the 9th of May.
Three hours after the incident occurred, at around 2 a.m. on the 10th, Kim Ho Joong’s manager visited the police station and claimed that he was the one who was driving. It was reported that the manager came wearing the clothes that Kim Ho Joong wore at the time of the accident. Additionally, the memory card was missing from Kim Ho Joong’s vehicle’s black box.
Based on the fact that the owner of the vehicle is registered under Kim Ho Joong’s name, the police investigated the actual driver and confirmed that it was Kim Ho Jung himself. On the day after the accident, Kim Ho Joong was questioned at the police station around 4:30 p.m. and underwent an alcohol test. The alcohol test result came back negative.
The police are investigating whether Kim Ho Joong attempted to switch drivers or intentionally hid the memory card. They are also investigating the involvement of Kim Ho Joong’s manager, who has also been charged, and the circumstances surrounding the false confession. If it is confirmed that there was an attempt to switch drivers, there is speculation that charges related to escape or destruction of evidence may also apply.
However, in the midst of all of this, the singer posted on his fan café after completing a tour in Goyang thanking his fans.
Kim Ho Joong’s fan club has also issued a notice on the 14th of May, stating, “We will not respond to unverified negative articles,” and encouraged members to “wisely wait for official notices from the agency and focus on what fans should do.”
Kim Ho Joong’s agency also released a statement denying the previous allegations and expressed their intention to proceed with the scheduled performances to the shock of netizens. The agency said, “ Kim Ho Joong was too flustered to handle the situation properly and apologizes for causing public concern. The planned Classic Arena Tour 2024’ in Changwon and the ‘Gimcheon-World Union Orchestra Super Classic’ will proceed as scheduled.”