The girlfriend of comedian Lee Jin-ho, who allegedly reported his drunk driving to authorities, was found dead earlier this week, police said Friday.

She was found in her apartment in Bupyeong District in Incheon around 8:30 a.m. Sunday after an acquaintance called police upon discovering her body.

Lee was booked last month on charges of driving under the influence in violation of the Road Traffic Act.

Lee allegedly drove from Incheon to Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi, early on Sept. 24 after drinking. His blood alcohol concentration at the time was measured at 0.11 percent, high enough for license revocation.

Shortly after the incident, a local entertainment news outlet reported that the person who had reported Lee’s drunk driving to the police was his girlfriend. However, police maintained that they could not disclose the identity of the individual who made the report due to privacy concerns.

Despite the police’s stance, additional media coverage continued to claim that Lee’s girlfriend had filed the report, and she was said to have expressed emotional distress.

Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and any possible connection to Lee’s DUI case.

“No criminal suspicion has been found at this stage,” a police official said. “Out of respect for the bereaved family, we cannot provide further details.”


BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]