Suga Caught Driving Under the Influence: License Revoked, No Extra Military Sanctions

Suga, a member of the group BTS currently serving as a social service worker, was caught driving under the influence of alcohol. The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) stated that there would be no separate action because the incident occurred outside of working hours.

On the 8th, the MMA announced, "If social service personnel are personally caught driving while drunk after working hours, they will be punished under related laws such as the Road Traffic Act." The MMA also emphasized that in the future, they would strengthen education to ensure that social service personnel comply with laws and regulations during their service and supervise them thoroughly through service instructors.

Suga has been fulfilling his military duty as a social service worker in Seoul since September last year. The service management regulations for social service personnel include Article 8(3), which states that "you must always dress and look neat and maintain dignity." However, the MMA clarified that this regulation applies only to work-related activities during duty hours. Since Suga's drunk driving incident occurred outside of working hours, it does not constitute a violation of these regulations. Thus, there will be no additional disciplinary action or sanctions from the MMA or the service institution beyond the legal punishment resulting from the police investigation..

The incident occurred at 11:27 p.m. on the 6th in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Suga was found alone after falling while riding an electric scooter. A nearby police officer noticed the smell of alcohol, conducted a breathalyzer test, and found that Suga's blood alcohol level was over 0.08%, resulting in the revocation of his license.

Suga explained, "I fell alone while setting up an electric scooter at the front gate of my house. A police officer was nearby, and I took a breathalyzer test, which resulted in my license being revoked and a fine being imposed. I apologize for my actions."

Big Hit Music, Suga's agency, stated that he had been riding an electric scooter while wearing a helmet on his way home after drinking on the night of the 6th. He fell after traveling about 500 meters. The police conducted a breathalyzer test, which led to a fine and the revocation of his license. The agency noted, "The incident did not cause any casualties or property damage, and Suga returned home under police control," and they apologized for the incident.

However, CCTV footage released later showed Suga riding an electric scooter with a saddle, which led to further controversy. Critics claimed that Suga intended to downplay the severity of the incident. In response, the agency issued a second apology, explaining that "the product used by the artist was a saddle-type scooter. Upon further verification, we recognized that classifications may vary depending on the performance and specifications of the product. We apologize for not taking a closer look and speaking hastily."