Hwang Hana, the granddaughter of the founder of Namyang Dairy Products and the former fiancée of singer and actor Park Yuchun, was arrested by police while fleeing abroad on suspicion of drug offenses.
On the 24th the Gwachon Police Station in Gyeonggi said it had arrested Hwang Hana on charges of violating the narcotics control law and was investigating her.
Hwang Hana is accused of administering methamphetamine to two other people, including an acquaintance, using a syringe in Gangnam, Seoul, in July 2023. Police said further investigation is needed regarding the related criminal facts.
Hwang Hana fled to Thailand in December of the same year while under police investigation on drug charges. With her overseas escape preventing further progress in the investigation, police requested a blue notice (location information) from Interpol in May last year and invalidated her passport.
Thereafter, it was reported that Hwang Hana illegally entered Cambodia by an unknown method and had been staying there. In October she was reported to be living a lavish lifestyle in Cambodia.
During that time Hwang Hana's lawyer recently expressed a willingness to voluntarily appear before police, and police initiated arrest procedures.
Police went to Cambodia, consulted with local consular officials, took custody of Hwang Hana and executed the arrest warrant inside a national carrier at Phnom Penh's Techo International Airport.
Hwang Hana entered Korea through Incheon International Airport at 7:50 a.m. on the 24th and is being questioned at the Gwachon Police Station.
Hwang Hana drew attention as the granddaughter of the founder of Namyang Dairy Products and as the former partner of singer and actor Park Yuchun.
Hwang Hana was caught on charges of having used methamphetamine three times at her home in Yongsan District, Seoul, in May to June and September 2015, and of illegally taking two medicines in April 2018 that contained the psychotropic ingredient clonazepam. But while on probation she was again charged with drug use and was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, and was released in 2022.
Hwang Hana was also booked last year on suspicion of having used drugs in 2023 during the investigation into a drug case involving the late actor Lee Sun-kyun.
A police official said, "As a result of checking with the Cambodian immigration office, Hwang Hana's entry was not confirmed, so it is presumed she entered illegally," and added, "This arrest has no relation to the late Lee Sun-kyun case, and as far as we know Hwang Hana was cleared of charges in that case."
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]