Seoul police charge actor Lee Jae-ryong with obstructing breath test in DUI case
Seoul’s Gangnam Police have added a charge of obstructing a breath test to a case involving actor Lee Jae-ryong, who is already being investigated for drunk driving and hit-and-run. The police are examining whether he attempted to avoid a DUI test by consuming more alcohol at a social gathering after the crash.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. near Cheongdam Station in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam District. Police allege that Lee drove into a central median, then parked at a nearby residence in Cheongdam-dong and joined a drinking gathering with acquaintances at a local restaurant. The party reportedly ordered a bottle of distilled liquor and two portions of meat.
About three hours after the crash, Lee was arrested at a friend’s house. He initially denied drunk driving, but the following day changed his account, saying he had four glasses of soju and drove, acknowledging only a light contact with the median.
On the 10th, Lee reportedly stated that he had roughly one glass of distilled liquor poured into a beer glass, but maintained the gathering was pre-arranged and that he did not attempt “sulta-gi,” the practice of drinking to delay a DUI detection. Police said they would gather statements from companions to determine how the drinking session unfolded.
Officials said they would apply the Widmark formula to estimate his blood alcohol concentration at the time of the crash and would question attendees about the circumstances of the drinking event. The Widmark formula is a standard method used to back-calculate alcohol levels based on dose, time, and body factors.
Under South Korea’s current Road Traffic Act, intentionally using alcohol or medicines to hinder breath tests can result in 1 to 5 years in prison or a fine of 5 million to 20 million won. The provision was introduced following the 2024 case involving trot singer Kim Ho-joong and has been in effect since June of last year.
Why this matters beyond Korea: South Korea has been tightening DUI enforcement, with new penalties and emphasis on preventing evasion of sobriety tests. For U.S. readers, the case highlights how international celebrities can be affected by stricter traffic-safety rules and how BAC estimation methods are used in investigations and potential prosecutions. It also underscores the growing globalization of legal risk for entertainment figures, business travelers, and multinational operations in Korea, including implications for compliance, reputational risk, and cross-border collaboration in the entertainment and hospitality sectors.