Former Pro Baseball Player Involved in Illegal Drug Use Scandal

In a significant crackdown, police have arrested a group of individuals, including a 60-year-old ENT doctor and 15 associates, for illegally administering medical narcotics under the guise of cosmetic procedures at a clinic in Gangnam, Seoul. Among those implicated is former professional baseball player Oh Jae-won (오재원), who has been sentenced to prison for drug-related offenses. The investigation revealed that from January 2021 to July 2022, the doctor and his team administered narcotics, including propofol and remimazolam, to 105 patients a total of 17,216 times, generating illicit profits amounting to approximately 4.14 billion KRW. Oh Jae-won reportedly received these drugs five times between October 2023 and January 2024.

The police noted that the operation resembled that of drug dealers, as they lured patients into addiction while offering services under celebratory pretenses such as 'birthday specials' and 'release from prison' discounts. The patients, primarily in their 20s and 30s, received illegal doses ranging from six to as many as 887 times, with some spending over 100 million KRW on treatments. Tragically, four patients have died after receiving these narcotics at the clinic.

Additionally, the clinic was found to be using etomidate, a general anesthetic not classified as a narcotic, which has raised concerns about its potential for abuse. Authorities are expanding their investigation into the illegal distribution of etomidate and are warning that medical narcotics can lead to addiction even when used as prescribed. The police are also looking into the financial operations of the clinic, which included using false identities and accounts to conceal their activities.