Recently, South Korean singer Zheng Dong-won was suddenly exposed for driving without a license. The Seoul Western District Procuratorate is currently investigating Zheng on suspicion of violating the unlicensed driving clause in the Road Traffic Law.
Jung Dong-won, who just turned 18, participated in the TV North Korean talent show "Tomorrow is Mr.Trot" in January 2020, and became famous for winning fifth place in the finals. Due to his active performance, the "Zheng Dongyuan Road" was specially built in Hedong County, Qingshang South Road, his hometown.
Last year, he won the IS Rising Star Awards, the Best Artist Award and other awards at the Korea Grand Music Awards Ceremony. Until recently, he has been active through concerts, new song releases, variety shows and other activities.
Police investigation records show that Jung Dong-won was suspected of driving without a license in Hadong County, Gyeongsang-do in January 2023 (at the age of 15). According to Article 82 of the South Korean Road Traffic Law, only those who are over 18 years old can obtain a driver's license, and drivers without a license will face a criminal penalty of up to 10 months in prison or a fine of 3 million won.
The case was exposed in a blackmail case that occurred in March this year.
South Korean media reported that in March this year, Zheng Dong-won was coerced by three suspects who obtained his mobile phone. The other party claimed that if he did not pay 500 million won, he would disclose his private life. So Zheng Dong-won paid 100 million won and took back his mobile phone. Later, Zheng Dongyuan's agency reported the case to the police. During the investigation, the police saw a video of him driving without a license in Zheng Dongyuan's mobile phone as evidence, and then filed an additional case against him.
But Zheng Dongyuan's brokerage company refuted and corrected the report.
The agency admitted that Zheng Dongyuan drove without a license, but claimed that Zheng Dongyuan only performed about 10 minutes of driving exercises on the mountain road near his home, and his peers took the picture.
According to the agency, my friend A took his mobile phone from Zheng Dongyuan's home last year and peeked at the private photo album on his phone. Later, A and others threatened Zheng Dongyuan on the grounds that they "have Zheng Dongyuan's driving video without a license" and demanded a 200 million won hush money. But Zheng Dongyuan did not compromise, but reported the blackmail gang to the police with the determination to accept legal punishment.
The agency said: "Zheng Dongyuan deeply regrets and reflects on the mistakes of driving without a license. Our company will take this matter as an opportunity to make every effort to strengthen the management and education of its artists, so that they can grow into a more mature and responsible member of society."
The Seoul Gangnam Police Department found that Jung Dong-won was suspected of violating the Road Traffic Law and transferred the case to the prosecution in June this year. The case was initially accepted by the Seoul Central District Procuratorate, and later transferred to the Seoul Western District Procuratorate based on factors such as Zheng's address.
Zheng Dongyuan's attorney said: "The party drove only once out of curiosity", emphasizing that Zheng Dongyuan had admitted his mistake and was actively cooperating with the investigation.
This is not the only time that Jung Dong-won has violated the Road Traffic Law. After driving without a license for two months, in March 2023, he was investigated for driving a motorcycle on the eastern trunk road in Seoul, where motorcycles are prohibited. At that time, the prosecution suspended the prosecution due to factors such as his minor and being a first offense.
Korean netizens have different attitudes towards this.
Some netizens said: "Although it is indeed illegal, there are actually many people doing this", "Dongyuan has stepped on shit, just take a wrong move," "There should be adults around him, probably to practice driving for the driver's license exam", "Isn't the blackmailer who should be scolded?", "It's all in 2023, and I'm still holding on to you now"...
Another part of netizens said: "It is not the 1970s and 1980s. The countryside is not so backward, and driving without a license is not a trivial matter", "If you want to learn to drive, you can go to the driving school, and I also live in the countryside, so don't make us people in the countryside not abide by the law", "Why do people talk to him twice for violating the Road Traffic Law?", "Minors cannot take the driver's license, and practicing driving is an excuse."...
What do you think?
