'Suspected on drug charges' Yoo Ah-in and his closest writer appear at police station

While actor Yoo Ah-in (real name Eom Hong-sik, 37), who is suspected of habitual drug use, appeared at the police on the 16th, Choi, a writer who graduated from art school and boasts a close relationship, was also summoned and is being investigated by the police.

According to the police, Yoo Ah-in attended the drug investigation unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Mapo-gu, Seoul around 9 a.m. on this day and made his second appearance. Approximately two hours later, at 10:05, Mr. Choi also appeared at the police station as a suspect on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act.

Mr. Choi was a reference at the beginning of the investigation, but his status was changed to a suspect when it was confirmed that he helped Yoo Ah-in administer drugs or administered the drugs himself. Mr. Choi is a person who entered the country with Yoo Ah-in when he entered the country after completing his trip to the United States on February 5, and is known as Yoo Ah-in's closest associate. The police believe that Choi used drugs with Yoo Ah-in or prescribed zolpidem for Yoo Ah-in.

Yoo Ah-in, who was summoned for the second time on this day, was criticized by public opinion for his unprecedented fight with the police. In the second summons investigation scheduled to be held on the 11th, Yoo Ah-in refused the investigation and made a U-turn on the grounds that the investigation date was made public. Previously, the first summons investigation had also been postponed once for similar reasons.

Accordingly, at a regular press conference held on the 15th, Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency, said regarding Yoo Ah-in's schedule for investigating drug charges, "The suspect's side is reacting sensitively to the date and timing of summons," and "We will coordinate the appearance date as quickly as possible." “We will investigate, but if that doesn’t work, of course we will do that (issue an arrest warrant),” he said, mentioning the possibility of applying for an arrest and detention warrant.

One day after making these remarks, Yoo Ah-in appeared at the police station. There were reporters that day as well, but there were fewer reporters than on the 11th, and it is said that Yoo Ah-in got out of the car and entered the police station as if he had decided to attend from the beginning.

Police believe that Yoo Ah-in took a total of five types of drugs. Last February, the police received an analysis result from the National Institute of Forensic Science that found four types of narcotic substances, including marijuana, propofol, cocaine, and ketamine, in Yoo Ah-in's hair and urine. Afterwards, Zolpidem, a psychotropic drug, was found in Yoo Ah-in's medical records. We have been investigating circumstances in which prescriptions were prescribed for purposes other than medical purposes.

Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr