ENTERTAINMENT
Former WINNER Member Nam Tae-hyun Appeals DUI Conviction
According to legal sources on the 14th, Nam Tae-hyun's legal team submitted an appeal against the first-instance verdict for charges including violations of the Road Traffic Act. Nam was accused of causing an accident on April 27 last year at around 4:10 PM while driving under the influence. He allegedly attempted to overtake a vehicle at 182 km/h near Dongjak Bridge on the Gangbyeon Expressway towards Ilsan, crashing into the central divider.
On the 9th, the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 11 sentenced Nam to one year in prison and a fine of 1 million won for charges including violations of the Road Traffic Act. The court stated, "All charges are found guilty," adding, "Although he confessed and is reflecting, he has a history of DUI and was on probation for drug-related charges, which makes the offense more blameworthy." The court further noted, "His blood alcohol concentration was high, and he exceeded the speed limit in an 80 km/h zone, causing an accident by hitting the curb and retaining wall, necessitating strict punishment."
Additionally, Nam was reportedly on probation for a drug-related conviction at the time of the DUI accident, having been sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation in January 2024. His blood alcohol concentration at the time of the accident was 0.122%, exceeding the license revocation threshold of 0.08%.
Nam Tae-hyun has previously been embroiled in multiple controversies involving drugs and DUI. He was first sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation for drug charges in August 2022, and in March the following year, he was fined 6 million won for a DUI accident during the investigation process.
By Soo-min Lee, TenAsia Reporter danbilee19@tenasia.co.kr
