'음주 뺑소니' 김호중, 만기 5개월 앞두고 출소…말없이 기도 뒤 빠져나가 [MBN 뉴스7]

【 Anchor Comment 】 Singer Kim Ho-joong, who was serving a prison sentence for drunk driving and hit-and-run, was released on parole today (the 30th) with five months remaining on his sentence. Fans gathered early in the morning to support Mr. Kim, but he quietly left without offering any special greetings. Reporter Park Hye-bin reports. 【 Reporter 】 Singer Kim Ho-joong, dressed in a black suit and wearing a mask, walks out of the building while bowing his head in greeting. This is the scene of Mr. Kim, who was sentenced to two years and six months in prison two years ago for drunk driving and hit-and-run, being released after 767 days in custody. (Sound of the scene) = "Kim Ho-joong! Kim Ho-joong! Kim Ho-joong! Kim Ho-joong" After completing a farewell ceremony that included prayers along with 14 other released inmates, Mr. Kim boarded a vehicle and left the prison without making any specific statement. ** Mr. Kim was originally scheduled to be released in November, but after recently passing the Ministry of Justice's parole review, he will be released back into society five months early. ▶ Standing: Park Hye-bin / Reporter "Mr. Kim Ho-joong was placed on the parole review list for the Christmas amnesty last December, but was deemed ineligible at the time." Inmates can become eligible for parole review after serving more than one-third of their sentence; to be deemed eligible, they must receive favorable evaluations regarding their attitude during prison life and the risk of recidivism. An official from Somang Prison stated, "Mr. Kim led an exemplary life, such as leading choir practice for inmates who had completed their new inmate training." Mr. Kim was brought to trial on charges of fleeing the scene after causing a drunk driving accident in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in May 2024, and having his manager turn himself in on his behalf. It was also revealed that during his escape, Mr. Kim attempted to conceal his crime using a so-called "drinking trick," where he bought and drank beer at a convenience store to obscure the timing of his breathalyzer test. Mr. Kim, who was sentenced to two years and six months in prison in both the first and second trials, was released early on parole, but will be placed under probation for the remainder of his sentence. This is Park Hye-bin from MBN News. [[email protected]] Video Coverage: Reporter Kim Jin-seong Video Editing: Kim Sang-jin Graphics: Baek Mi-hee Copyright MBN. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution, and use for AI learning are prohibited. ☞ Subscribe to MBN YouTube ☞ https://goo.gl/6ZsJGT 📢 MBN YouTube Community https://www.youtube.com/user/mbn/comm... MBN Facebook   / mbntv   MBN Instagram   / mbn_news