Police seek actress, other celebs on drug charges

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Police seek actress, other celebs on drug charges


An actress and a model are at the center of a wider police narcotics investigation that could snare a host of celebrities.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said yesterday that it is seeking arrest warrants for Yun Seol-hee, a 28-year-old actress, and Ye Hak-young, a 26-year-old male model, in violation of the nation’s drug laws.

Authorities also are investigating three other people - including Joo Ji-hoon, a popular fashion model and actor - on related matters and say they suspect another 20 might have been involved as well. Charges range from drug smuggling to narcotics use and sales.

“We will expand the investigation because the drug smuggling and sales have gone on for a long time,” a police official said. “We believe there will be more buyers and users.”

Yun is accused of smuggling 280 tablets of ecstasy and 280 grams of ketamine into Korea from Japan on 14 occasions from August 2007 to December last year.

Police claim she sold and used the drugs with fellow entertainers at clubs in southern Seoul and at her house. They say she received more than 100 million won ($74,516) from drug sales over the past 16 months.

“It is the first time that a celebrity was accused of supplying banned substances,” a police official said.

Police also accuse Ye of buying 3.2 million won worth of drugs from Yun.

Entertainer Joo is accused of using drugs twice in March last year while partying with Yun.

“I was very drunk, and I did the drugs without much thinking,” Joo was quoted as saying by the police.

Joo, 27, became a celebrity after his TV drama “Jewel in the Palace” became a hit in 2006.

MDMA, better known by its street name ecstasy, and ketamine, a veterinary anesthetic widely abused as a party drug, are illegal substances in Korea.


By Rhee Esther [smartpower@joongang.co.kr]
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