Actor Lee Jae-ryong (61), who is facing DUI allegations, is expected to appear for police questioning soon.
At a regular press briefing on the morning of March 9, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Park Jung-bo said investigators are conducting a pre-booking inquiry and expect Lee to comply with a summons in the near future.
Lee is suspected of hitting a median strip with his car near Cheongdam Station on Seoul Subway Line 7 around 11 p.m. on March 6, then leaving the scene. He reportedly parked the car at his home, went to an acquaintance’s place, and was detained by police around 2 a.m. on March 7―about three hours after the crash.
His blood alcohol concentration was reportedly at the license-suspension level at that time. However, Lee has denied drinking before driving, claiming he drank only after the accident at his acquaintance’s home.
Commissioner Park said the claim is under review and that the facts will be clarified through the investigation.
Lee has previously faced controversy over alcohol-related incidents. In 2003, his driver’s license was revoked after he caused an accident while driving under the influence in Cheongdam-dong and refused a breathalyzer test. In 2019, he received a deferred prosecution for property damage after breaking a bowling alley sign while heavily intoxicated.
Following the latest incident, content featuring Lee on the YouTube channel “Zzanbro” has been set to private.
Past remarks by Lee’s wife, actor Yoo Ho-jung, are also resurfacing. On SBS’s "Healing Camp" in 2015, she said they fought frequently over his drinking and once lived apart for three weeks.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
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