Comedian Lee Kyung-kyu, who was summoned by the police in relation to drug driving allegations, acknowledged that he drove after taking medication prescribed for panic disorder and bowed his head.
On the 24th, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul summoned Lee Kyung-kyu as a suspect in violation of the Road Traffic Act. The investigation lasted about 1 hour and 45 minutes, starting at 9 p.m., during which police primarily asked Lee about the circumstances of his medication use and the situation while driving.
After the investigation, Lee Kyung-kyu noted, "I did not properly recognize that I should not drive after taking panic disorder medication," adding, "I felt once again that if there are ingredients in the medication I am taking that could affect driving, I should refrain from driving. I will also be cautious in the future."
He further bowed his head, saying, "I sincerely apologize for disappointing the fans who have believed in and supported me for a long time."
Lee Kyung-kyu's lawyer explained through a written statement, "Mr. Lee has suffered from panic disorder for 10 years and took prescribed medication the day before the incident. However, his health deteriorated that day, and he ended up driving to the hospital directly. Ultimately, it was a careless act for which there is no justification, and he feels responsible."
Earlier, Lee Kyung-kyu was accused of driving under the influence of drugs around 2 p.m. on the 8th near a golf driving range in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam. At the time, he drove a vehicle of the same model as his imported car, which was misdirected by a parking attendant, and realized that his personal belongings were not inside the vehicle while driving, prompting him to return to the building.
However, following a report from the vehicle owner, police who arrived at the scene conducted breath and drug tests on Lee Kyung-kyu, which yielded a positive result for drugs. The case then moved into a formal investigation phase.
Article 45 of the Road Traffic Act strictly prohibits driving under conditions that impair proper driving due to the influence of drugs. Even if the drugs are prescribed, if they affect cognition or concentration and one was not aware of this while driving, it may fall under "drug driving."
The police plan to determine the future course of action after comprehensively analyzing Lee Kyung-kyu's statements and related materials.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]