On Wednesday, South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, passed away in an apparent suicide. Lee had been under investigation for alleged drug abuse in the months leading up to his death.

While Lee’s motives for taking his own life have not yet been disclosed, his lawyer and South Korean media have criticized the police for the pressure they put on Lee as part of their probe, casting a dark shadow on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s “war on drugs.”

Lee enjoyed a “family man” image over the years by starring in dozens of films and TV shows such as the hit series, My Mister. But in recent months, Lee made headlines for alleged drug abuse, leading him to issue several public apologies while denying the charges.

The Sunday before his death, Lee had been questioned by police for over 19 hours for allegedly consuming marijuana and another type of drug, an offense that would have resulted in a brief probe or a fine in many other countries. 

In contrast, the Yoon administration has prioritized the war on drugs, leading to a massive police crackdown on users and dealers – with over 22,000 arrests this year so far, up 47% from 2022 – with prosecutors seeking serious sentences.

“The National Police Agency cannot evade responsibility for Lee Sung-kyun’s death,” Lee’s lawyer, Lee Eun-hee, wrote in a post on her social media account on Wednesday. She said that details of the case were leaked and that the case should have been handled behind closed doors. 

In fact, Lee Sun-kyun reportedly initiated contact with the police, claiming that he was a victim of blackmail. He alleged that a woman had given him drugs without his knowledge, which she later used to blackmail him. His lawyer on Wednesday said that the police’s “desire to perform” and the media’s “thirst for articles” spiraled the case into a drugs probe instead.

The progressive-leaning Hankyoreh newspaper stated in its editorial that authorities must look back to see if their “greed” for catching a big fish – a drug-abusing celebrity – as part of Yoon’s war on drugs might have “led to this tragedy.”

South Korean celebrities face immense pressure to maintain a clean public image and are held to high moral standards. As a result, the mere accusation of drug abuse can lead to financial ruin. According to South Korean media, Lee already faced contract penalties even though he had not been found guilty of any charges.

“Focusing solely on punishing drug offenders could cause those who need treatment to go into hiding. But [the government] has pushed ahead solely focusing on investigations. In such a political climate, investigative agencies, including the police, cannot help but feel the burden of putting on a performance,” Hankyoreh stated.

Lee Sun-kyun at a press event for the movie Parasite in 2019 | Image: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (edited by Korea Pro)

WRONG FOCUS

But the Yoon government continues to ramp up its crackdown on drug offenses. It more than doubled the budget to combat illicit drugs even though South Korea remains one of the most drug-free countries worldwide, with just over 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) of drugs seized this year, a fraction of the amounts seized in other parts of the world, like Taiwan, Australia, or most European countries.

The Yoon administration’s war on drugs mirrors the U.S. war on drugs even though empirical research has found that the U.S. approach, including the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, has been mostly ineffective. Concurrently, Seoul’s spending on mental health – a key driver of substance abuse – continues to fall short. 

In 2024, South Korea’s Ministry of National Health allocated only 3.2% of its $94 billion (122.5 trillion won) budget for mental health. And in 2022, South Korea’s National Health Insurance only spent 0.84% of its $80 billion (102 trillion won) expenses on mental health treatments. In comparison, Dutch insurers spent 9% of their total expenditure on health care toward mental health treatment that same year. 

South Korea’s national insurance does not fully cover most mental health treatment, requiring patients to pay out-of-pocket for each visit to a counselor. South Korea has the highest suicide rate among OECD countries, and for Koreans under 40, suicide is the most common cause of death.

Meanwhile, National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun on Thursday reportedly told the press that he doesn’t believe Lee’s death is a result of police wrongdoing or pressure caused by their investigation. “Personally, I liked Mr. Lee and was saddened and surprised by the news,” the police chief said.

The police will now close the case against Lee Sun-kyun according to South Korean law, which prescribes that suspects cannot be prosecuted after their death. 

Lina Park and Joon Ha Park contributed to this report. Edited by John Lee.