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| Lee Jae-ryong / Photo=DB |
[Sports Today reporter Im Si-ryeong] Actor Lee Jae-ryong, accused of fleeing the scene after a drunk-driving crash, has acknowledged suspicions that he attempted to manipulate alcohol test results. Public outrage has intensified as this marks his third drunk-driving controversy and evidence suggests he may have lied.
Seoul Gangnam Police said on the 18th that they referred Lee to prosecutors without detaining him on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act: drunk driving, failing to take appropriate measures after an accident (hit-and-run), and obstructing alcohol testing.
On the night of the 6th, at about 11 p.m., Lee was driving near Samseong Jungang Station on Seoul Subway Line 9 when he struck several center dividers and fled the scene. He later parked the vehicle at his home and went to an acquaintance’s house. Police arrested him at around 2 a.m. on the 7th. Authorities say his blood-alcohol concentration was at a level that triggers license suspension.
Lee initially denied driving under the influence, but during his first police interview the next day he admitted, “I drove after drinking four shots of soju. I thought I only lightly brushed a center divider.” CCTV footage, however, showed him colliding with the center dividers at speed, contradicting his account and drawing public shock.
Police also uncovered signs that Lee—who claimed he had only four shots—moved between several drinking gatherings before the crash and visited another bar immediately afterward. Investigators suspect he used the so-called “drink-switching” method to make it difficult to determine his blood-alcohol level.
Lee’s representatives denied the allegation, saying he had only attended a prearranged appointment and did not drink further after the accident to obstruct testing. But Yonhap reported that, based on interviews with companions, police concluded Lee attempted to obscure his blood-alcohol reading and destroy evidence, and they forwarded the obstruction charge to prosecutors.
This is Lee’s third drunk-driving controversy. His license was revoked following a drunk-driving incident in 2003, and in 2019 he allegedly damaged a bowling alley sign while heavily intoxicated, receiving a suspended prosecution for property damage. Lee has been relatively inactive in his acting career, and his recent public image is now dominated by allegations of hit-and-run and drink-switching.
The public holds a strict view on drunk driving. Because many view it as potentially lethal behavior, it’s difficult for celebrities with related pasts to regain public trust no matter how long they lay low. With a third drunk-driving scandal and indications of deception, Lee’s acting career—built over roughly four decades—is now in jeopardy.
[Sports Today reporter Im Si-ryeong ent@stoo.com]
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