South Korea police question K-Pop star over alleged drug use (updated)

YG Entertainment

06/11/2023 08:51

(Updates with comment after questioning)
    By Dogyun Kim and Jimin Jung
       INCHEON, South Korea, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The former front
man for the K-pop band BIGBANG, known as G-Dragon, appeared at a
police station for questioning on Monday over allegations of
illegal drug use, the latest in a string of South Korean artists
embroiled in high-profile narcotics cases.
    The investigation against the singer and rapper, whose given
name is Kwon Ji-yong, comes amid an ongoing crackdown on illegal
drugs by the government of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol.
    After the allegations surfaced in late October, shares of
some K-pop agencies fell, including Kwon's former agent YG
Entertainment  122870.KQ , though they have since rebounded.
    Leaving the police station after four hours of questioning,
Kwon, 35, denied the allegations and said a drug test taken
during questioning came back negative. He said he was
cooperating with the police investigation.
        As he arrived for questioning earlier, Kwon, who was
dressed in a dark suit, said: "There is no truth to (the
accusation of) illegal drug-related crime." 
  
    The police station in Incheon was the same location where
the star of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite", Lee Sun-kyun, was
separately also questioned over the weekend over an allegation
of illegal drug use.
    Lee declined to comment as he left the police station on
Saturday, only saying he had answered all the questions asked by
police to the best of his knowledge.
    A series of arrests on drug charges in recent months,
including of chaebol heirs and celebrities, has prompted
authorities to tighten a crackdown on narcotics and customs
inspections.
    South Korea has tough drug laws, and crimes are typically
punishable by at least six months in prison or up to 14 years
for repeat offenders and dealers.
    Social media and foreign travel have made illegal drugs more
accessible, drug rehab advocates say.
    Kwon is not the first member of BIGBANG to face criminal
charges. 
    In 2017, T.O.P., whose legal name is Choi Seung-hyun,
received a suspended 10-month jail sentence for marijuana use,
after he pleaded guilty and sought leniency to avoid a prison
term.
    Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, was convicted in
2021 of collusion in a tax evasion, bribery and prostitution
scheme and served an 18-month prison sentence.
    BIGBANG dominated the K-pop scene after their debut in 2006.
Kwon and four other former and current members have pursued solo
careers. 

 (Reporting by Dogyun Kim, Jimin Jung and Jack Kim; Editing by
Ed Davies, Gerry Doyle and Bernadette Baum)
 ((jack.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +822 6936 1455;))