Singer Kim Ho-joong, who is serving a prison sentence for a drunk driving hit-and-run, has been placed on the review list for Christmas parole, though analysts say his actual release remains uncertain given the nature of his crime and public sentiment.
The Ministry of Justice's Parole Review Committee plans to review Kim as a candidate for Christmas parole, News1 reported Thursday.
The Ministry of Justice grants parole to eligible inmates one day before major holidays including March 1st Independence Movement Day, Buddha's Birthday, Liberation Day, and Christmas each year. Under the Criminal Act, inmates who pose no risk of reoffending and have served at least one-third of their sentence are eligible to apply for parole. However, the ministry's parole guidelines reportedly place inmates on the preliminary review list once they have served approximately 60 percent of their sentence.
Observers note that Kim's chances of parole remain unclear given the nature of his crime—fleeing the scene after a drunk driving accident—and public opinion surrounding the case.
Kim was indicted in May 2023 on charges including causing injury through dangerous driving under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. He had crossed the center line while driving drunk on Apgujeong-ro in Seoul's Gangnam District, collided with a taxi, and fled the scene.
Prosecutors excluded the drunk driving charge at the indictment stage because an accurate blood alcohol measurement was impossible, as Kim only appeared at the police station 17 hours after the accident. Nevertheless, the court finalized a sentence of two years and six months in prison in May last year.
Kim was transferred in August this year from Seoul Detention Center to Somang Prison, the country's only privately operated correctional facility. Subsequently, an incident emerged in which a Somang Prison employee demanded 40 million won ($29,600) from Kim and threatened him. The Ministry of Justice filed criminal charges against the employee. The prison worker reportedly demanded money claiming he had "helped facilitate" Kim's admission to the facility. Kim reportedly felt pressured that he could face disadvantages and reported the incident.
Kim is currently on the parole review list, but whether he will be released depends on the committee's evaluation and public sentiment. Inmates who pass the Parole Review Committee's assessment could be released on December 24.
