Actor Lee Jae-ryong Admits to Drinking Four Glasses of Soju, But DUI Charge Dropped?

Actor Lee Jae-ryong, who is accused of causing a hit-and-run accident in Gangnam, Seoul, has been indicted on charges of failing to take measures after an accident and obstructing a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act.

Around 11:00 PM on March 6, Lee was driving his car near Cheongdam Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, when he hit a median strip and fled the scene.

He was apprehended three hours later after attending another drinking gathering.

Police concluded that Lee used a so-called "술타기" (drinking more alcohol after an incident to obstruct accurate BAC measurement) tactic to avoid punishment.

Accordingly, the police forwarded the case to the prosecution with all charges applied: driving under the influence, obstructing a breathalyzer test, and failing to take measures after an accident.

However, the prosecution reached a different conclusion.

The prosecution dropped the DUI charge, stating that it was difficult to clearly prove whether Lee's blood alcohol concentration at the time of driving was 0.03% or higher—the legal threshold for punishment—based on estimations using the Widmark formula.

The Widmark formula is a method used to retroactively estimate blood alcohol concentration at the time of an incident by calculating the individual's weight, amount of alcohol consumed, and elapsed time.

Previously, Lee denied drinking during the initial police investigation, but later admitted, "I drove the car after drinking four glasses of soju."

However, regarding the suspicion of intentional drinking to obstruct tests, he explained that he merely attended a scheduled appointment and had no intention of interfering with the breathalyzer test.

Lee has a history of prior drunk driving offenses, having had his license revoked in 2003 for a drunk driving accident and refusal to take a test, and receiving a suspension of indictment in 2019 for damaging a signboard while heavily intoxicated.

With the DUI charge being dropped during the indictment process even though the suspect himself admitted to drunk driving, controversy both inside and outside the courtroom is expected to continue.

Reported by Kang Sun-ae | Video by Jung Yong-hee | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.