BTS member Suga facing possible prison sentence or fine over drink-driving e-scooter incident

Suga, a member of the K-pop supergroup BTS , faces a potential prison sentence or a hefty fine after a breathalyser test revealed he was over the blood-alcohol limit when he reportedly fell off his e-scooter in Seoul last week.

Suga, who along with other members of the band has taken a break from music to perform compulsory national service , was found lying on the ground in the Yongsan district of Seoul on 6 August after an apparent accident, South Korean media reported.

A breathalyser test conducted on the day of the accident revealed his blood-alcohol concentration was 0.227%, significantly higher than the 0.08% level that warrants the revocation of a driving licence, the Yonhap news agency said, citing police sources.

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Under South Korean traffic laws, drink-drivers with a blood-alcohol level of 0.2% or higher can receive a fine of between 10m won (£5,710) and 20m won, or a prison sentence of two to five years. Drink-driving on an e-scooter carries the same penalties as similar offences committed while driving a car, South Korean media said.

BTS’s label, BigHit Entertainment, initially claimed that Suga had been using an electric kickboard at the time of the accident. In an apology posted on X the day after the alleged incident, the 31-year-old said he had been fined and his driving licence revoked.

But it later emerged that he had been riding an e-scooter equipped with a saddle that can reach speeds of up to 30kmh and not, as previously claimed, a less powerful electric kickboard, which have maximum speeds of less than 25kmh, according to the Korea Times .

Suga, who has been performing a civilian form of national service instead of joining the military, also reportedly told police he had drunk only a single glass of beer before the accident.

But a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.227% is a level the Korea Times described as “impossibly high” after just one glass of beer.

Some BTS fans attracted criticism for posting photographs of bottles of alcohol while inside their vehicles in a show of solidarity with the singer, whose case is now being investigated by police.

BTS are expected to unite next year after all seven members have completed their national service. South Korea requires most able-bodied men to complete 18-21 months in the military, but Suga was reportedly permitted to conduct civilian duties due to shoulder surgery he underwent in 2020.

Although Suga, whose real name is Min Yoon-gi, is not expected to have to leave the group over the alleged incident, Jung Min-jae, a culture critic, said the band would struggle to rebuild public trust.

“We will still have to wait for the results with the police investigation,” Jung told the Korea Times.