S Korean actor Yoo Ah-in jailed for illegal drug use
SEOUL – High-profile South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in was found guilty on Sept 3 of illegal use of the anaesthetic drug propofol and handed a one-year jail term, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Yoo, whose real name is Uhm Hong-sik, was accused of using propofol on 181 occasions between 2020 and 2022. The drugs were administered at professional clinics, under the guise of having cosmetic procedures done.
The prosecution had sought a four-year sentence for the Hellbound (2021 to present) actor, but the Seoul Central District Court handed the 37-year-old a one-year jail term, Yonhap reported.
“He is deemed guilty of all his purchases for habitual drug use,” the court stated in its ruling, according to Yonhap News TV.
The court said Yoo had committed the offences “in disregard of relevant regulations” and displayed a “lack of caution against drug substances”.
A doctor who administered propofol to Yoo without a proper prescription was fined 40 million won (S$39,000) in August.
Propofol, while primarily used as a surgical anaesthetic, is sometimes abused recreationally, often with the involvement of medical professionals who may be willing to provide it without a legitimate clinical need.
An overdose of the drug was cited as the cause of American pop star Michael Jackson’s death in 2009.
“I am sorry for having caused concern to many people,” Yoo was quoted as saying in court by Yonhap.
Yoo rose to stardom in South Korea following his debut in 2003, starring in a range of television dramas and films across genres, and becoming one of the country’s most recognisable actors.
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