"Effort to Avoid Being Swayed by Stimulation and Shock"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Former Hannara Party (now People Power Party) lawmaker Hong Jung-wook reflected on the drug use and smuggling case involving his daughter Hong Mo, saying, "I tried not to be swayed by stimulation and shock and to become a calm will."
On the 23rd, Hong posted on his homepage, saying, "The greatness of life lies not in never falling, but in rising again every time you fall."
He explained, "In the fall of 2019, my eldest daughter was caught entering the country with drugs. At the same time, the health of my father and mother, who were seriously ill, rapidly deteriorated. My wife, second daughter, and youngest son were all in the United States, and my eldest daughter was staying at her sister's house after the prosecution's investigation. I stayed home alone and kept to myself."
He continued, "My goal was to get through each day well. I visited the construction site every day without fail. Although I have experienced many constructions, it was the first time I directly observed the entire process," recalling the time.
He added, "After the construction was completed, I spent my days in the garden with books, tea, and cigars as companions. Although I had lived near Bukhansan for nearly 20 years, it was the first time I watched the dry branches sprout buds, grow leaves, and bloom flowers as the seasons changed."
Hong said he regained peace of mind through meditation, adding, "Like the poem by Baekgeo-i, 'In this moment, silence overcomes all the sounds of the world,' I tried to become a calm will that is not swayed by stimulation and shock."
Hong Mo, daughter of former lawmaker Hong Jung-wook, who was indicted without detention on charges of drug use and smuggling in another country / Photo by Yonhap News
Meanwhile, Hong's daughter, Hong, was caught smuggling six liquid cannabis cartridges, a type of synthetic drug, and LSD (paper-form drug) during immigration inspection at Incheon International Airport on September 27 last year and was indicted without detention.
She is also accused of purchasing drugs three times and using or smoking them nine times in the United States from February 2018 to September last year. Investigations revealed that Hong purchased drugs by parcel delivery and used them in the dormitory of a U.S. high school she was attending.
In the first and second trials, the court sentenced Hong to two years and six months in prison with a three-year probation. She was also ordered to pay a fine of 178,537 won and placed under probation.
The second trial court explained the sentencing, saying, "Considering the number of offenses committed by Hong, the guilt is heavy, but it is a favorable circumstance that she repented her wrongdoing and all imported drugs were confiscated and did not circulate. Hong is a juvenile with no prior criminal record, and considering the nature of the crime, it is difficult to see a risk of recidivism."
However, some argued that Hong's sentence was lighter compared to other drug cases.
Park Beom-gye, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, mentioned the case during the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit on the 13th of last month, stating, "(Hong's case) is unusual in that the prosecution gave up on appealing, finalizing the sentence," and criticized, "The defendant used drugs frequently and even smuggled LSD, so I believe the sentence is not appropriate."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
