[Exclusive] "It's Early Education" Home Appliance Brand CEO Holds 1-Month-Old Son While Using Drugs

Jung, the CEO of a well-known small home appliance import and sales company, was booked by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 20th on charges of using drugs in front of his one-month-old son. The police have launched an investigation, adding charges of emotional child abuse (violation of the Child Welfare Act) along with the drug charges.

According to the police on the 21st, Jung held a drug party at his home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, with two acquaintances at the end of September 2021. Jung had sent his wife out by telling her to "go have fun with friends" and booked a hotel for her. Jung is suspected of smoking liquid marijuana while holding his one-month-old son. He is reported to have told his acquaintances that it was "early education."

Prior to this incident, Jung was under police investigation for drug use (violation of the Narcotics Control Act) along with two acquaintances from August 2021 to October last year. Jung is known to have admitted to smoking liquid marijuana next to his son.

The police are looking into charges of child abuse beyond simple drug use. According to Article 17 of the Child Welfare Act, emotional abuse that harms a child's mental health and development, as well as physical harm, is legally prohibited. Jung used drugs in front of his one-month-old child, who cannot move or make judgments independently. Drugs, including marijuana, can have adverse effects such as cognitive impairment on children and adolescents during periods of rapid brain development. The police stated that this could be considered emotional abuse under the Child Welfare Act.

Professor Yeom Geon-ung of the Department of Police Science at U1 University said, "This is a rare case in Korea, and to judge it as child abuse, it is necessary to prove through investigation whether the child was neglected. If parents use drugs, their children inevitably suffer emotional harm."