Seoul court fines BTS star Suga over e-scooter incident – DW – 09/30/2024

The Seoul Western District Court on Monday fined K-pop singer Suga 15 million won ($11,000, 10,200 euros) for riding an electric scooter while drunk.

Police found the 31-year-old lying on the ground next to his scooter in the South Korean capital late in the evening of August 6th.

What we know about the case

Tests showed Suga's blood alcohol level was 0.227% – almost three times the legal limit.

The artist, whose real name is Min Yoon-gi, has already had his driver's license revoked.

According to South Korea's Highway Code, driving or driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol level above 0.2% is punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine of up to 20 million won.

Min is currently performing mandatory military duties as a social worker.

The Seoul military administration said he would be punished under traffic law rather than military law because the incident occurred outside of his official working hours.

Sorry for “blemishes”

The BTS member wrote a handwritten apology for the incident in late August, saying it tarnished the boy band's name.

“I have left a huge stain on the precious memories I have created together with my members and our fans, and I have tarnished the name of BTS,” he wrote.

Suga admitted a “grave mistake” and said he was “deeply sorry.”

The seven members of BTS – the world's most popular boy band – have been on hiatus since 2022 due to military service.

Due to tensions with nuclear-armed North Korea, South Korea requires all men under 30 to be available for military service.

rc/nm (AFP, Reuters)