Footage of BTS's Suga driving under the influence has been released, leading to calls for stricter penalties and an extension of his military service.
On August 7, Yongsan Police Station in Seoul revealed that Suga was caught riding an electric scooter while heavily intoxicated around 11:15 PM on August 6. His blood alcohol level was high enough to warrant a license revocation.
Under current laws, driving any vehicle, including personal mobility devices like electric scooters, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher results in a revoked license.
Suga's agency explained that he was on a 'foldable electric scooter,' but the police referred to it as an 'electric scooter,' which has a seat. The maximum speed of Suga’s scooter is 30 km/h, and it is classified as a vehicle under traffic laws. While driving such a vehicle under the influence can lead to fines and license revocation, scooters with higher speeds and engine capacities can result in fines up to 10 million won or imprisonment for up to two years.
There has been speculation that Suga's agency used the term 'electric kickboard' to downplay the incident's severity. Suga's side has apologized for the confusion regarding the vehicle's classification.
Despite this, Suga will not face punishment under the Military Service Act. Born in 1993, he has been serving as a social service worker since September last year. Due to a previous motorcycle accident and shoulder surgery, he was deemed unfit for active military service.
Big Hit Music, Suga's agency, said on the 7th, "We will accept any disciplinary actions from his workplace for his actions that caused controversy." However, because the incident occurred outside work hours, it falls under civil law, not military law.
The Military Manpower Administration confirmed that since the incident happened outside work hours, it does not affect his military service. The regulation applies equally to all social service workers.
However, a BTS fan has stirred controversy by filing a complaint with the Military Manpower Administration, requesting a 'warning penalty' and a 5-day extension of Suga's service. This complaint is currently under review.
According to Article 33 of the Military Service Act, social service workers who commit misconduct during working hours receive warnings, with each additional warning resulting in a 5-day service extension.
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