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Trot singer Kim Ho-joong transferred to Korea’s only private prison

Published: 20 Aug. 2025, 10:02 Updated: 20 Aug. 2025, 16:15

Kim Ho-joong is arrested on May 31, 2024. [YONHAP]

Trot singer Kim Ho-joong, who was sentenced to prison for a drunk driving hit-and-run, has been transferred to Somang Prison, the only private correctional facility in Korea.

Legal sources said Kim entered the prison in Buknae-myeon, Yeoju, Gyeonggi, on Monday. He had been held at the Seoul Detention Center.

Somang Prison is operated by the Agape Foundation under Christian principles and focuses on rehabilitation programs. Admission rules are strict: Inmates must be serving sentences of seven years or less, have at least one year left on their term, have no more than two prior convictions and have not committed drug, national security or organized crime offenses. The Ministry of Justice selects the inmates.

Kim was convicted of crashing into a taxi while drunk in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul, in May of last year. He crossed the centerline, fled the scene and had his manager turn himself in instead.

Kim initially denied driving under the influence but admitted the crime 10 days later. Courts sentenced him to two years and six months in prison. His conviction was finalized in May after he dropped his appeal.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]