BTS member Suga, whose real name is Min Yoon-gi, was fined without a trial after being summarily indicted for driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol on Aug. 6.
Police found the 31-year-old in Seoul’s Yongsan district with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.227%, significantly above the 0.08% threshold for license revocation. In South Korea, a drunk driver whose blood alcohol exceeds 0.2% can be jailed for two to five years and fined between 10 million won ($7,460) and 20 million won ($14,930). The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office issued a summary order in Suga’s case, allowing it to close with a fine instead of going into trial.
Suga, who is currently working as a social service agent — part of South Korea’s mandatory military service — admitted his wrongdoings during a three-hour questioning on Aug. 23. He also apologized to fellow BTS members and fans in a handwritten letter, acknowledging that “everything is my fault” and that he had “damaged” the group’s reputation.
