Actor Ko Kyung-pyo is under police investigation after crashing his car into a street-cleaning vehicle while driving under the influence in Seoul early Saturday.
Ko struck a garbage truck in Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, around 3:30 a.m. The Chosun Daily and The Korea Herald reported the collision.
A breathalyzer test at the scene showed his blood alcohol concentration was at or above 0.08 percent. This level meets the threshold for license revocation under South Korean law, SBS World News reported.
Police confirmed the level exceeded the legal limit for drivers to keep their licenses. The exact blood alcohol reading has not been disclosed.
No passengers were in the vehicle with Ko during the accident. It is not clear if any people were injured in the crash.
Broadcasters Edit Footage to Remove Actor
The production team for the MBC variety program “Hangout with Yoo” issued a statement on the 14th. They plan to edit Ko’s segments as much as possible before the show airs to avoid making viewers uncomfortable, Sports Chosun reported.
Ko was scheduled to appear in the “’95 Seoul Music Festival” segment. He had previously drawn attention there for a performance of Kim Hyun-sik’s “My Love by My Side.”
The team behind tvN’s “Sixth Sense: B-Side” also plans to cut his appearances. Ko is a regular cast member on the program.
The team told Maeil Business they want to ensure viewer comfort. They will edit his parts in the broadcast on the 15th and in next week’s finale.
Only two episodes remain in the season. The production team is working to remove his footage from completed episodes naturally.
Agency Apologizes for Drunk Driving
CLN Company released a statement acknowledging the incident. The agency issued a “deep apology to those who suffered harm as a result of Ko Kyung-pyo's drunk driving accident,” The Herald Business reported.
Ko acknowledges his wrongdoing and is deeply reflecting on it, the agency said, The Herald Business reported. He returned home after police questioning.
The actor “takes the gravity of drunk driving seriously, will humbly accept any penalties handed down, and will fulfill his responsibilities, including making amends to those affected,” the agency said.
The agency said it “takes this matter gravely and will pay closer attention to managing our talent to ensure this does not happen again,” The Herald Business reported. They said they would accept any subsequent disciplinary actions and are also working to compensate for damages caused.
The event was originally planned to have two sessions. One session was at 2 p.m. and another was at 6 p.m. But substantial disruption to his future activities is expected, The Herald Business reported.