Actor Ko Kyung Pyo admitted to causing an accident by crashing into a garbage truck while driving under the influence and bowed his head in apology. He also addressed behaviors captured on CCTV footage.
On November 15th, Ko Kyung Pyo posted a lengthy apology on his social media.
He acknowledged the incident, stating, “In the early morning of November 14th, I drove after drinking and collided with a garbage truck. My blood alcohol concentration exceeded the license cancellation threshold.”
He continued, “It was entirely my fault to get behind the wheel after drinking. I was the one who told people not to drive under the influence, yet I broke that rule. Someone could have been seriously injured because of my actions. It was a reckless act.”
He also gave specific details about the accident. Ko said, “After hitting the garbage truck, I didn’t immediately see a place to stop, so I drove a little further to pull over. I got out of the car to check what part of the truck I had hit. Upon meeting the two sanitation workers, I immediately apologized.”
He added, “The two workers cautiously told me that they had already reported the incident to the police. Even if they were angry, there was nothing I could say. Hearing their words made me even more embarrassed and sorry, and I just wanted to hide somewhere,” then continued, “I took responsibility for my mistake, apologized sincerely once more, talked briefly with them at the scene, and waited for the police.”
Regarding the CCTV footage that seemed to show him putting something into his coat pocket, Ko explained, “The object I put into my coat pocket on the video was the car key I was holding.”
He also expressed his intention to suspend all scheduled activities due to the incident. Apologizing to the production teams and colleagues of the programs he is currently on and upcoming projects, he said, “Because of my mistake, scenes we filmed laughing together have to be re-edited, and some people who had prepared for a long time are forced to make sudden difficult decisions.”
He continued, “I am sorry to all the fans who have supported me for a long time, those who set aside time to see me, and everyone who has watched my works and broadcasts,” adding, “I will cooperate sincerely with the police investigation. I will take necessary measures to remedy the damage caused by the accident and accept full responsibility for the consequences. I will halt all scheduled activities.”
Earlier on the 14th, according to the police, the Mapo Police Station in Seoul is investigating Ko Kyung Pyo on charges of driving under the influence under the Road Traffic Act.
Ko is suspected of driving his personal car under the influence around 3:30 a.m. in Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, when he crashed into a garbage truck. It was confirmed that no passengers were in the vehicle at the time. His blood alcohol concentration was found to be above the 0.08% cancellation threshold. After the breathalyzer test, Ko was sent home, and the police plan to investigate the detailed circumstances of the accident.