KBS Open-Recruit Comedian Arrested for Choking and Assaulting Designated Driver While Intoxicated

A well-known comedian in a drunken state was arrested at the scene by police for assaulting a designated driver they had called.

The Seoul Seocho Police Station announced that it is investigating a comedian surnamed Kim, a former open-recruit comedian from KBS, on charges of assaulting a driver of a moving vehicle under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

At around 1:00 AM yesterday, Kim called a designated driver to head home after drinking at a pub in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

After boarding the vehicle driven by the designated driver, Kim was accused of assaulting the driver while heavily intoxicated, such as grabbing and shaking the driver's neck while traveling along the Gyeongbu Expressway.

Police who were dispatched following a report from the designated driver arrested Kim at the scene in front of a gas station near the expressway.

Kim is known to have been active in the past on popular KBS programs such as "Gag Concert."

Because assaulting or threatening the driver of a moving vehicle carries a high risk of accidents and can lead to secondary or tertiary accidents, offenders are subject to imprisonment of up to 5 years or a fine of up to 20 million won under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

In particular, if the driver suffers injuries, they face severe punishment of imprisonment with labor for 1 year or more, and if the driver is killed, they face life imprisonment or imprisonment with labor for 5 years or more.

The police plan to investigate Kim regarding the exact circumstances of the offense.

(Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Kim Kihyun | Design by Yang Hye-min | Produced by Digital News Department)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.