Actor Yoo Ah-in Receives Suspended Sentence for Drug Charges

Actor Yoo Ah-in (real name Eom Hong-sik) has been confirmed to receive a suspended prison sentence by the Supreme Court of South Korea due to habitual drug use. On July 3, the Supreme Court's first division, led by Justice Ma Yong-joo, upheld the original ruling that sentenced Yoo to one year in prison, with a two-year suspension, along with a fine of 2 million won.

Yoo was charged with using medical narcotics, including propofol, 181 times between September 2020 and March 2022. Additionally, he illegally obtained over 1,100 sleeping pills through 44 prescriptions under another person's name from May 2021 to August 2022. He also faced allegations of smoking marijuana in the United States in January 2022 and encouraging others to do the same.

In September of last year, Yoo was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 2 million won, leading to his immediate incarceration. However, in February of this year, the appellate court reduced his sentence to one year with a two-year suspension, allowing him to be released from the Seoul Detention Center after five months.

The appellate court noted that while drug offenses carry a high risk of recidivism and significant societal harm due to addiction, Yoo's actions were influenced by long-standing sleep disorders and depression, and he appeared to have largely overcome his drug dependency. The Supreme Court agreed with the lower court's decision and dismissed the prosecution's appeal.