South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in (pic) was released from prison after serving five months for drug abuse, following an appeals court decision on Feb 18 to impose a suspended sentence.
The 39-year-old actor, whose real name is Uhm Hong-sik, began serving a one-year prison term in September 2024 after being convicted by the Seoul Central District Court for the habitual use of medical propofol and other drugs. The court also imposed a fine of 2 million won and a forfeiture of 1.45 million won.
In the appeal trial on Feb 18, the Seoul High Court suspended his prison sentence for two years, while upholding the fine and forfeiture.“It appears that Yoo committed the offense despite the risks of excessive drug use as he struggled with depression. He has vowed not to re-offend and has spent over five months in detention,” the court said in a statement.
Regarding the reason for suspending the jail term, the court said: “We took into account his lack of a criminal history for similar offences and the fact that he has not received criminal penalties beyond the fine as favourable factors.”
In October 2023, Yoo was indicted for habitually using medical propofol and other drugs a total of 181 times between September 2020 and March 2022 at multiple hospitals across Seoul. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
