Ahn Ye Song, a former member of the K-pop girl group INSTAR who has transitioned to a career as a DJ under the name Yesong, has received an 8-year prison sentence following an incident in which she drove her Mercedes-Benz SUV while intoxicated, resulting in the death of a delivery worker in his 50s. This judgment was reported by South Korean media earlier today, shortly after the Supreme Court upheld the sentence on December 10.

During a hearing in September, Yesong changed her initial position, stating, “I plan to give up my career and dreams.” In the first trial, she was sentenced to 10 years due to her decision to flee the scene without assisting the victim. However, this sentence was later reduced to 8 years after she expressed remorse and reached a settlement with the victim's family. The prosecution had initially sought a more severe sentence of 15 years, highlighting Yesong's perceived lack of remorse, particularly as her legal team attempted to shift some responsibility onto the victim.

Ex-K-pop Idol Seeks to Assign Blame to Victim in Deadly DUI Case

The lawyer representing the 24-year-old DJ spoke on her behalf, indicating that she has acknowledged the charges brought against her. "She ingested a considerable quantity of alcohol at a professional gathering and drove a vehicle while impaired, lacking any recollection of the incident. She understands the seriousness of the matter and the need for treatment for alcohol dependency." Although Ahn's legal team largely accepted the accusations, they argued that the victim shares some culpability, stating, "If the victim had opted for the alternate route, the accident could have been prevented."

DJ Yesong Experiences Two Distinct Accidents

Upon reassessing her earlier remarks, she retracted her accusations and conveyed her anguish regarding the intense financial strain she was experiencing. She remarked, “At that time, I was facing considerable financial hardships due to a lack of bookings. I found myself at a pivotal event where my means of support were at stake, which led me to feel the need to consume alcohol. This ultimately caused unacceptable harm to the victim. I am undergoing deep self-examination,” as reported by Koreaboo.

The hearing was initiated following the incident in February when Yesong operated a vehicle while heavily intoxicated, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.221%, significantly exceeding the limit for license suspension. The artist, in her twenties, was involved in a collision with a motorcyclist in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, allegedly after attempting to flee the scene of a prior accident, according to K-en News.

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