BTS‘ Suga has been fined without a trial for driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol in August, officials told South Korean news agency Yonhap on Tuesday (Sept. 10). He also previously had his license suspended over the same incident.
Used for minor offenses, a summary indictment requests that the court impose a fine or confiscation through an expedited process without a full trial.
The news comes more than a month after the 31-year-old K-pop star was questioned by police after falling from his electric scooter in the Hannam neighborhood of the Yongsan district Aug. 6. According to Yonhap, the star’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.227 percent, nearly three times the 0.08 percent threshold. The news agency also reports that according to the Road Traffic Act, violations in which the BAC is above 0.2 percent indicates two to five years behind bars, as well as a fine of 10 million won (approximately $7,442) and 20 million won (approximately $14,884).
Billboard has reached out to BTS’ reps for comment.
Shortly after the incident, Suga — who is currently in the middle of serving out his mandatory service in the South Korean military — revealed that his license had been revoked. He also said sorry to fans in two heartfelt posts on Weverse, explaining in the first that he didn’t realize he couldn’t operate an electric scooter while under the influence, which he’d attempted after going out to dinner.
“In the process of setting up an electric kickboard at the front door of the house, I fell alone, and there was a police officer around me, so I took a breath test,” he continued in the Aug. 7 post, apologizing to “everyone who was hurt by [his] careless and wrong actions.”
BTS’ record label, BigHit, also issued a statement at the time, apologizing “for the disappointment caused by the artist’s inappropriate behavior.” “As a social service agent during his military service, he is prepared to accept any disciplinary actions from his place of work for causing a social disturbance,” the label added at the time. “We will take greater care to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future.”
Toward the end of August, Suga again took responsibility for his actions. “It’s all my fault,” he wrote in his second post about the incident on Weverse. “My carelessness is giving everyone who cares about me a hard time. I will try not to do anything wrong again and live with repentance. Due to this incident, I have greatly damaged the precious memories I made with the members and fans and put a lot of pressure on the name of the BTS.”
Since the incident, BTS fans have stood behind the musician, even issuing a statement in support of all members of the global group in recent days. “Global ARMY fan bases, both domestic and international, have gathered to affirm with one voice that we continue to support all seven members of BTS,” read part of the statement representing 127 ARMY divisions globally.
