Kim Ho-joong Reaches Settlement with Accident Victim + Taxi Driver Says “No Plans to Drive for the Time Being”
Kim Ho-joong reached a settlement with the victim of his drunk driving incident. Compensation was made 35 days after the hit-and-run incident
On June 13th, Kim Ho-joong’s side reached an agreement with taxi driver A. The two parties made contact for the first time a month after the accident, and the settlement was signed the day after their meeting.
A is currently undergoing outpatient treatment. The taxi is still under repair. A has no plans to drive for the time being, stating, “I want to rest now. I can’t bring myself to get behind the wheel.”
A shared the process from the accident to the settlement with Dispatch. According to A, the accident happened in an instant, and the settlement was delayed without any promise. A also expressed dissatisfaction with the police’s response to the victim.
Recalling the incident, A said, “Suddenly, a car came up on top of the taxi. The driver fled. I was left to report it to 112 and undergo the investigation alone. I found out it was Kim Ho-joong through the news.”
Despite Kim Ho-joong being in the news every day, the victim could not even get his contact information. A complained, “I needed to handle the insurance, but the police didn’t give me his phone number.”
As a result, A had to repair their car using their personal insurance and pay for medical examinations out of pocket. A explained, “I was in an accident but couldn’t get support from the insurance company. I spent a month dealing with the accident alone.”
Kim Ho-joong’s side also faced difficulties. They said, “He couldn’t meet the victim because he left the accident scene. We wanted to apologize and compensate, but the police didn’t provide contact details.“
The two parties connected during the prosecution stage. A stated, “I received a message from Kim Ho-joong’s side during the prosecution investigation. We made contact on June 12th, and the next day I received an apology and reached a settlement.”
The Gangnam Police Station told Dispatch, “The initial diagnosis was a two-week recovery, but A’s condition gradually worsened.” They clarified that there was no reason to delay the settlement and that Kim Ho-joong was also under investigation.
Meanwhile, this settlement is expected to favorably influence the sentencing. Kim Ho-joong is facing charges of dangerous driving causing injury, fleeing the scene and failing to take action after an accident under the Road Traffic Act. He was detained on May 24th.
