Shinhwa member Shin Hye-sung (Jung Pil-kyo, 44) will receive his first trial verdict today, as he faces charges of drunk driving.

The sentencing hearing for Shin Hye-sung, who is accused of drunk driving and illegal use of a car, will be held in the afternoon at the Seoul Eastern District Court's Criminal Division 4. With the prosecution seeking a two-year prison sentence, attention is focused on whether Shin Hye-sung, a repeat offender of drunk driving, will be given a prison term.

At the first hearing held on the 6th, the prosecution demanded a two-year prison sentence for Shin Hye-sung.

At the time, Shin Hye-sung's lawyer admitted to all charges and agreed to the evidence. However, the lawyer argued that Shin Hye-sung has suffered from panic disorder, social phobia, and depression for 25 years as a Shinhwa member and celebrity.

The attorney said, "He has been struggling with serious psychological difficulties for two years but was afraid of public exposure and did not receive proper treatment. On the day of the incident, he had dinner with acquaintances after a long time, and when he drank alcohol for the first time in years, he lost his rational thinking. While he made a mistake, it was not a habitual drunk driving incident."

The lawyer pleaded for leniency, saying, "Although the defendant should not have driven drunk, he didn't intend to do so from the beginning, there was no physical harm, and the defendant acknowledges his wrongdoing and has a low risk of recurrence."

Shin Hye-sung also apologized, saying, "I should have always set an exemplary example, but I am sorry for causing disappointment and hurt to many people with this incident. I will never let this happen again. I will reflect on this for the rest of my life. I'm sorry."

Shin Hye-sung was arrested on the spot for refusing a sobriety test at around 1:40 am on October 11 last year in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

According to the police investigation, Shin Hye-sung and his acquaintances were headed to Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in a car driven by a designated driver. Shin Hye-sung then drove himself from a convenience store in Sujeong-gu, Seongnam City to Tancheon 2 Bridge in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, while intoxicated. He was found asleep in the middle of the road and was caught by police after a citizen reported him.

Shin Hye-sung was arrested on the spot for refusing the sobriety test and was also investigated for the illegal use of a car, as he mistook someone else's vehicle for his own.

The police also investigated whether Shin Hye-sung had any involvement in car theft, but no intent to steal the vehicle was proven, so theft charges were not recognized.

Shin Hye-sung was previously caught driving about 400 meters from Apgujeong-dong to Samsung-dong in Seoul after drinking in April 2007. At that time, his blood alcohol concentration was 0.097%, which would have resulted in a license revocation under current standards.

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