{"id":2203265,"date":"2023-12-28T19:23:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T10:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2203265"},"modified":"2023-12-29T20:54:28","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T11:54:28","slug":"parasite-actors-death-ignited-debate-over-south-koreas-war-on-drugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/12\/parasite-actors-death-ignited-debate-over-south-koreas-war-on-drugs\/","title":{"rendered":"Parasite actor\u2019s death ignites debate over South Korea\u2019s \u2018war on drugs\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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.<\/span><\/p>\n While Lee\u2019s motives for taking his own life have not yet been disclosed, his lawyer and <\/span>South Korean media<\/span><\/a> 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\u2019s \u201c<\/span>war on drugs<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Lee enjoyed a \u201cfamily man\u201d image over the years by starring in dozens of films and TV shows such as the hit series, <\/span>My Mister. <\/span><\/i>But in recent months, Lee made headlines for alleged drug abuse, leading him to issue several public apologies while denying the charges.<\/span><\/p>\n 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 <\/span>many other countries<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In contrast, the Yoon administration has prioritized the war on drugs, leading to a massive police crackdown on users and dealers \u2013 with over 22,000 arrests this year so far, up 47% from 2022 \u2013 with prosecutors <\/span>seeking<\/span><\/a> serious sentences.<\/span> \u201cThe National Police Agency cannot evade responsibility for Lee Sung-kyun’s death,\u201d Lee\u2019s lawyer, Lee Eun-hee, <\/span>wrote<\/span><\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s \u201cdesire to perform\u201d and the media\u2019s \u201cthirst for articles\u201d spiraled the case into a drugs probe instead.<\/span><\/p>\n The progressive-leaning <\/span>Hankyoreh<\/span><\/i> newspaper stated in its editorial that authorities must look back to see if their \u201cgreed\u201d for catching a big fish \u2013 a drug-abusing celebrity \u2013 as part of Yoon\u2019s war on drugs might have \u201cled to this tragedy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n South Korean celebrities face immense pressure to maintain a clean public image and are held to <\/span>high moral standards<\/span><\/a>. As a result, the mere accusation of drug abuse can lead to financial ruin. According to<\/span> South Korean media<\/span><\/a>, Lee already faced contract penalties even though he had not been found guilty of any charges.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFocusing 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,\u201d Hankyoreh<\/em> stated.<\/span><\/p>\n
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