Yoo Ah-in Faces Charges for Repeated Marijuana Use: After departing the country to dodge related investigations, he was arrested after 1 year and 7 months. The court noted a “lack of compliance awareness” considering the circumstances including his travel abroad.
Youtuber Yang, who was arrested alongside actor Yoo Ah-in (real name Eom Hong-sik) for drug use and fled during investigations, received a suspended sentence in his first trial. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yang to 8 months in prison with a 2-year probation for violating the Narcotics Control Act (related to marijuana), along with 40 hours of drug treatment lectures and a fine of 300,000 won.
Judge Kim Taek-hyung acknowledged Yang’s guilt in conspiring with Yoo and smoking marijuana three times, criticizing the lack of compliance awareness shown by fleeing overseas amid investigations. However, the court considered Yang’s admission of guilt and limited drug use when determining the sentence.
Yang was charged with smoking marijuana several times during a trip to the US with acquaintances including Yoo Ah-in in January of last year. Following the start of the police investigation into Yoo’s habitual drug use in April last year, Yang reportedly fled to France and continued to evade capture for approximately 1 year and 7 months.
Yang voluntarily returned to Korea and was arrested in October. The court issued an arrest warrant on the grounds of potential flight risk. Meanwhile, Yoo Ah-in faces trials for being administered propofol 181 times from September 2020 to March last year and illegally purchasing sleeping pills under another’s name from May 2021 to August last year, with an appeal trial scheduled for the 24th of this month.