[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Actor Ha Jung-woo (real name Kim Seong-hoon), who is accused of illegally administering the sedative 'Propofol,' repeatedly bowed his head as he attended his first trial.
Ha Jung-woo arrived at the Seoul Central District Court building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, around 9:50 a.m. that day and said, "I apologize for causing concern," adding, "I will sincerely participate in the trial." Regarding the case being referred from a summary trial to a formal trial, he said, "I will express my position after attending the trial."
Ha Jung-woo will face his first trial starting at 10:20 a.m. under Judge Park Seol-ah of Criminal Division 24 at the same court. The charges include violation of the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances). According to the prosecution, Ha Jung-woo is accused of illegally administering the psychotropic drug Propofol at a plastic surgery clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, from January to September 2019.
The prosecution initially filed a summary indictment against Ha Jung-woo, seeking a fine of 10 million won. A summary indictment is a procedure where the prosecution requests the court to issue a summary order through written review without referring the case to a formal trial, typically used for relatively minor charges.
However, the court decided that a formal trial was necessary and referred Ha Jung-woo to a formal hearing. If the court deems a summary order inappropriate, it can send the case to trial for judgment through formal court procedures.
Ha Jung-woo maintains that the use of Propofol was for medical treatment purposes. At the time of the prosecution’s summary indictment, he stated through his agency, "I have been receiving dermatological treatment for acne scars on my face, and when undergoing painful treatments such as laser procedures, I sometimes received treatment under sedation."
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