Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – South Korean police conducted a search at the Incheon police station on suspicion of leaking information related to a drug investigation into the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, Tuesday (23/1/2024). Launching from The Korea Heraldthe police are also investigating the media who allegedly received leaked information from police officers regarding the Lee Sun-kyun case.
Apart from that, investigators from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency also reportedly obtained evidence from the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, including the cellphones of several officers involved in the drug crime investigation unit and investigation records on Monday (22/1/2024).
Until now, officials in South Korea have not yet commented on the ongoing investigation. However, they stressed that the investigation would be carried out “swiftly and rigorously”.
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Previously, actor Lee Sun-kyun was found dead in a car on December 27 2023. The actor who played Parasite is suspected of having committed suicide in the midst of an investigation into a suspected drug abuse case since October 2023.
Two months before his death, the actor, born March 2 1975, had been summoned three times by the police. Lee Sun-kyun’s visit to the police was widely publicized even though he requested that the visit be kept secret, leading to the assumption that the date of his examination had been leaked.
In connection with this issue, Parasite director Bong Joon-ho and other figures from the South Korean entertainment world released a joint statement on January 12 criticizing the police and media.
Then, they submitted a petition to the National Police Agency, National Assembly, and KBS which in November revealed recordings of private conversations involving Lee Sun-kyun and became controversial.
The group demanded a thorough investigation into Lee Sun-Kyun’s investigation, legislation (UU) to protect artists’ human rights, and demanded KBS to remove articles that are “unrelated to the media’s goals.”
Last week, police said they had started an investigation into the handling of Lee Sun-kyun’s case. In addition, the anti-corruption and financial crimes unit at Gyeonggi Nambu police was also assigned to investigate the truth and how the information was leaked to the public.
Extortion charges against a barmaid in Gangnam and a former actress who is said to have extorted money from Lee Sun-kyun were also leveled by the police. Currently, the barmaid is on trial for extortion. Meanwhile, the former actress in question was indicted on Tuesday on the same charges by the Incheon District Prosecutor’s Office.
For your information, Lee Sun-kyun is one of eight people being investigated by the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency on charges of using illegal drugs. As a result of the investigation process, Lee Sun Kyun withdrew from the drama he was supposed to star in.
In November, the 48-year-old actor admitted that he took drugs “unknowingly” because he was trapped by a female host at an entertainment venue.
Additionally, he was also declared negative in reagent tests conducted during the police investigation and a laboratory-based comprehensive drug analysis of his hair samples by the National Forensic Agency.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
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