Former WINNER member Nam Tae-hyun sentenced to prison for drunk driving
Former WINNER member Nam Tae-hyun has been sentenced to one year in prison after being found guilty in a drunk driving case.
In a report by The Korea Times, Seoul Western District Court found that the South Korean singer had violated the Road Traffic Act after he drove 182 kilometers per hour on a road with a speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour in April last year.
This caused him to crash into a central divider as he was attempting to overtake another vehicle. The incident took place at around 4:10 a.m. near Dongjak Bridge on Gangbyeonbuk-ro.
Authorities found no casualties, but Tae-hyun’s blood alcohol level was reportedly measured at 0.122%, which exceeds the license revocation standard of 0.08%.
"The level of danger posed under the Road Traffic Act was extremely high, making strict punishment necessary," the court stated.
Apart from the one-year imprisonment, Tae-hyun has also been ordered to pay a fine amounting to 1 million won (P40,389).
Tae-hyun had previously admitted to the charges, acknowledging that his "past actions are unacceptable," per The Chosun Daily.
"I will change myself to ensure this never happens again," he said.
Tae-hyun was previously the main vocalist of K-pop group WINNER, in which he also composed and produced. He left the group after two years and subsequently founded his music label, South Buyers Club.
Under the label, Nam debuted the band South Club, of which he is leader, main vocalist, guitarist, and main composer.
