Actor Yoo Ah-in (real name Um Hong-sik), who was brought to trial on charges of habitual drug use, has been granted a suspended sentence.
On the 3rd, the Supreme Court's 1st Division (Chief Justice Ma Yong-joo) upheld the lower court's sentence of one year in prison, subsequently suspended for two years, along with a fine of 2 million won against Yoo Ah-in, who was indicted for violations of the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances), marijuana smoking, and instigation.
As a result, Yoo Ah-in has been convicted of habitual use of drugs, including the psychotropic drug propofol and marijuana. He has avoided re-incarceration.
Yoo Ah-in was indicted in October 2023 for allegedly administering propofol a total of 181 times in various hospitals around Seoul under the guise of sleep anesthesia from September 2020 to March 2022. It has been revealed that he used the names of family members and acquaintances to receive these treatments.
In the first trial, he was sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 2 million won, resulting in immediate imprisonment, but the appeals court overturned this decision, reducing the sentence to one year in prison, suspended for two years.
The second trial court noted, "Medical narcotics require strict control due to their high potential for dependency, but the defendant abused them for criminal activities," adding that "the nature of the crime is serious, and there is a high likelihood of public condemnation given the defendant's position as a public figure."
However, it explained the reasons for the sentence reduction by stating, "The crime occurred during a time when he suffered from sleep disorders and depression over several years, and he has largely overcome his drug dependence now." It also added, "He reflected deeply during five months of detention and has no prior offenses of a similar nature."
With this judgment from the Supreme Court, Yoo Ah-in's drug case has concluded its legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, the films 'Winning' and 'High Five,' in which Yoo Ah-in stars, were released in theaters in March and May, respectively.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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