BTS member Suga has been fined $11,000 for driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol, as reported by South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. The Seoul Western District Court imposed the penalty last Friday, nearly matching the prosecutors’ request.

Incident details

The 31-year-old artist, whose legal name is Min Yoon-gi, was found by police late on the night of August 6, lying next to his e-scooter with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.227 percent, well above the legal limit of 0.08 percent in South Korea. Suga’s BAC was nearly three times the legal threshold, leading to the revocation of his driving license.

Legal repercussions

Under South Korea’s Road Traffic Act, a BAC of over 0.2 percent can result in a fine of up to 20 million won or a prison sentence of up to five years. In Suga’s case, the fine of 15 million won (approximately $11,465) was levied, representing nearly the maximum allowed under the law.

Despite being in mandatory military service as a social service agent, Suga will face penalties according to civil traffic law, as the incident occurred during non-working hours.

Suga’s apology

In late August, Suga issued a handwritten apology expressing remorse for the incident, stating, “I have left a large blemish on the precious memories I made with my members and our fans, and I have tarnished BTS’s name.” He admitted making a “grave mistake” and apologized.

BTS on hiatus

Since 2022, BTS has been on a self-described “hiatus” as its members fulfill their mandatory military duties. South Korea requires men under 30 to serve in the military due to ongoing tensions with North Korea.