By Ian Werther in News — 14 Mar 2026

Korea adds obstructing breath-alcohol test charge to actor Lee Jae-ryong's drunk-driving case

Seoul’s Gangnam Police added a charge of obstructing a breath-alcohol test to actor Lee Jae-ryong, who already faces accusations of drunk driving and leaving the scene after a crash. The police said the extra charge was filed yesterday, to supplement the existing charges.

The incident reportedly occurred around 11 p.m. on the 6th in Gangnam-gu, when Lee is alleged to have driven a car while intoxicated, striking a median barrier and then fleeing the scene. The following morning, around 2 a.m. on the 7th, police found him at a friend’s home and arrested him. At that time, his blood-alcohol level was described as at the threshold that would trigger a suspension of his driver’s license.

Shows the Hall effect for different directions of electric current and magnetic field.
Legend:

Electrons (not conventional current!)
Hall element, or Hall sensor
Magnets
Magnetic field
Power source
In drawing "A", the Hall element takes on a negative charge at the top edge (symbolised by the blue color) and positive at the lower edge (red color). In "B" and "C", either the electric current or the magnetic field is reversed, causing the polarization to reverse. Reversing both current and magnetic field (drawing "D") causes the Hall element to again assume a negative charge at the upper edge.

Rendered using POV-Ray. The scene description "code" shown below supports rendering all of the four "situations" portrayed in the image - see the comment given in the code in the page discussion. The four images were subsequently combined, and the numbers and letters added, in a graphics software package. — Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Police say Lee then moved to a nearby restaurant with acquaintances and ordered distilled liquor and meat. He is reported to have joined his companions there.

The newly added charge relates to an alleged attempt to interfere with the breath-alcohol measurement process, a point cited by investigators as they expanded the case.

Stazione di ricarica elettrica EVPass a Bivio che utilizza la corrente prodotta dalla "Impianti Elettrici Bivio" — Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The development comes in the wake of a 2024 case involving trot singer Kim Ho-joong, which led to tighter provisions under South Korea’s Road Traffic Act. The law now prescribes that anyone who uses alcohol or medicines to obstruct an alcohol test can face 1 year to 5 years in prison, or fines from 5 million to 20 million won.

For U.S. readers, the case illustrates South Korea’s stern, high-profile approach to drunk driving and the enforcement of testing procedures. It underscores how legal accountability for public figures can unfold swiftly in Korea, with penalties that can extend to both criminal and regulatory consequences. The episode also reflects broader policy momentum in Korea toward deterring impaired driving, a concern shared by many markets where auto safety and road governance influence corporate risk, celebrity reputation, and cross-border collaborations in media and entertainment.

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