South Korean actor Park Soo Young (Lizzy) slapped with a fine for drunk driving accident

South Korean singer and former After School member Park Soo Young aka Lizzy is making headlines for causing a car accident while reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol. Earlier in the month of September during the first hearing of her court trial, the prosecution demanded at least a one-year prison sentence for the South Korean actor, now the Seoul Central District Court has issued a hefty fine of 15 million won, almost $12,790 for the offence on Thursday, reported Soompi. 

Park Soo Young (Lizzy) received a fine for causing a car accident

On May 18, actor Park Soo Young ran into a taxi while driving under the influence in the neighbourhood of Cheongdam in Seoul’s Gangnam district. Her blood-alcohol level at the time was over 0.08 per cent, which is enough to have her driver’s license revoked.

The singer was initially indicted without detention for violating the Road Traffic Act by driving under the influence. The local police later considered the fact that the taxi driver had been injured to the extent of needing two weeks of treatment for a full recovery. The police then added the charge of dangerous driving under the Additional Punishment Law on Specific Crimes. However, in her first hearing last month, the prosecution requested a one-year prison sentence.

On Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Court issued Park Soo Young a fine of 15 million won (approximately $12,790). The court said, “While the defendant was intoxicated and in a state in which she could not drive normally, she caused a car accident that injured the victim. Her blood-alcohol level was also high, and a punishment that suits these factors was needed,” as quoted by the Korean pop culture website.

They concluded, “We took into consideration the fact that it is the defendant’s first-time offense, that the victim’s injury is minor, and that the defendant handed her car over to display her determination to prevent the offense from reoccurring.” In September, Soo Young held a live session on her official Instagram handle in order to apologize for her actions. The actor said, “I wanted to apologize in writing, but I didn’t think that would be enough [so I held a live broadcast]. I am so very sorry.”

"Now, my life is over. It’s true that I’ve let everyone down. The driver (from the accident] wasn’t hurt that much, but the articles (were written that way). People are telling me to die, and it’s too much. Don’t people have a hard time at least once in their lives? In this situation, there are many (people) telling me to make an extreme decision. I did something very wrong, and I know that I did something wrong. I’m so sorry," she added.

(Image: Instagram/@luvlyzzy)