South Korean actor Yoo Ah In, known for his roles in ‘Burning’ and ‘Hellbound’ finds himself in trouble. The actor was found guilty on Tuesday of illegal use of the anaesthetic drug propofol. He has been sentenced to one-year jail term, as per Yonhap news outlet. Ah In, whose real name is Uhm Hong-sik, was charged with using the drug on 181 occasions between 2020 and 2022. The Seoul Central District Court gave him a year of jail term despite the prosecution’s request for a four-year term.
The court ruled that Ah In had used propofol under the guise of undergoing cosmetic procedures at professional clinics. The court ruled that the actor was guilty of habitual drug use. Further, it highlighted Yoo Ah In’s disregard for regulations and lack of caution against the misuse of drug substances. “He is deemed guilty of all his purchases for habitual drug use,” the court stated in its ruling, as per Yonhap News TV. During the trial, Ah In expressed remorse over his actions. He said, “I am sorry for having caused concern to many people.” Meanwhile, the doctor who administered propofol to the ‘Secret Affair’ actor without a proper prescription was fined 40 million won last month.
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For the unversed, Propofol is primarily used as a surgical anaesthetic. However, the drug is sometimes abused for recreational purposes. Often, there is an involvement of a medical professional who may be willing to provide it without a legitimate medical need.
Yoo Ah In is the latest Korean celebrity charged with drug abuse. Previously, K-pop idol G-Dragon was accused of alleged drug use and was questioned by police. However, the case was dropped in November owing to insufficient evidence. On the other hand, actor Lee Sun-kyun, known for his performance in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” took his own life in December. He took the step after he was accused of illegal substance use. His case sparked a widespread public debate over the intensity of the investigation.
Further, in 2021, Lee Jae Yong, then vice-chairman of Samsung Electronics was convicted of abusing Propofol. He was fined 70 million won for illegally taking the drug at a plastic surgery clinic in Seoul over several years.
The mounting cases of drug abuse in South Korea among the powerful pose several challenges in cracking down drug abuse.