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| Pittsburg Pirates' infielder Kang Jung-ho answers reporters' questions at Seoul Central District Court, Friday, after receiving an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years, for drunk driving in southern Seoul in December. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
By Lee Han-soo
Seoul District Court has sentenced Pittsburg Pirates' Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho to eight months' jail, suspended for two years, for driving while drunk.
The verdict, changed from the prosecution's original summary order of a 15 million won ($13,000) fine, frees Kang to go back to Major League Baseball.
Kang was arrested after a crash on Dec. 2, triggering the"three strikes" law that immediately revokes his license. The law prevents him from having a license for two years.
After the accident, Kang's friend, surnamed Yoo, told police that he had been driving. But police determined that Kang was actually behind the wheel with a blood alcohol content of 0.084 percent. The legal limit is 0.05 percent.
Prosecutors sought a summary order fining Kang 15 million won without a trial, but the court ordered that the case be sent to trial.
"The drunk driving could have led to a dangerous secondary accident after the vehicle crashed through the guardrail, strewing debris and the vehicle on to the opposite lane," the court said in a ruling statement. "The defendant has already paid fines for his two prior DUI charges, which shows that a fine is not appropriate to serve as a warning."
However, the court added it has taken into consideration that Kang admitted the offences and regretted his actions.
Because of the trial, Kang has already missed a big chunk of his team's spring training, which started last week in Bradenton, Florida.
With prosecutors not expected to appeal against the court's decision, Kang is likely to go back to the U.S. for training.
Kang has agreed to participate in a treatment program recommended by a joint panel of Major League Baseball and the players' union, according to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
This is the second time Kang has been in trouble in his MLB career. In July 2016, he faced a sexual assault allegation in Chicago, which is still being investigated.
The Korean baseball All-Star, who signed an $11 million deal with the Pirates in 2015, finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2015 with a .287 batting average, 15 home runs and 58 RBIs in 126 games.
However, Kang's season was cut short in September after he suffered serious leg injuries. He returned in May 2016, and went on to hit 21 home runs and drive in 62 runs in 103 games.
"There's no question Kang has things figured out on the baseball diamond; it's the life away from the ballpark that could put his career in jeopardy," said the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .
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