BTS’ Suga’s blood alcohol concentration over 0.2 pct in drunk driving incident: police

Suga of K-pop superband BTS was fully drunk with a blood alcohol level of over 0.2 percent when he fell to the ground in Seoul earlier this week while driving an electric scooter, police said Friday.

Suga has been booked for investigation after being found lying on the ground in Yongsan district, central Seoul, on Tuesday night after falling off his electric scooter while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Police said Friday that a breathalyzer test conducted on the day of the accident showed Suga’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.227 percent at the time.

The figure is significantly higher than 0.08 percent, a level that warrants the revocation of a driver’s license.

Suga reportedly told the police on the night of the accident that he drank about a cup of beer.

The Road Traffic Act stipulates a prison sentence of between one and two years or a fine ranging from 5 million won (US$3,659) to 10 million won, for drunk driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or above.

But for drunk driving with an alcohol level of 0.2 percent or higher, the law stipulates a heftier punishment of a prison sentence between two and five years, or a fine ranging from 10 million won to 20 million won.

On Wednesday, the 31-year-old rapper wrote an apology on the K-pop fan community platform Weverse, saying he feels sorry for disappointing fans and will “take full responsibility” for his actions.

Suga has been serving as a social service agent, an alternative form of military service in South Korea, since March. He is scheduled to be discharged in June next year.