'Mixed Drug Use and Marijuana Smoking' Buksan Group Third Generation Sentenced to Prison

The third-generation heir of Byucksan Group, who was prosecuted on charges of drug use and marijuana smoking, was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the first trial.

On the 7th, the Criminal Division 27 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Ok-gon) sentenced Kim Mo (44), the grandson of the founder of Byucksan Group, who was detained and indicted on charges including violation of the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances), to one year in prison with a two-year suspension. He was also ordered to undergo two years of probation, attend 40 hours of drug treatment lectures, and pay a fine of 17.1 million won.

The court stated, "The defendant confessed to the crime and showed remorse, and actively cooperated in the investigation of the marijuana seller," adding, "Considering that he never distributed narcotics and has no prior record of similar crimes."

Kim is the grandson of the late Kim In-deuk, the honorary chairman and founder of Byucksan Group. He is known to be the largest shareholder and an executive of an agricultural machinery company that separated from Byucksan Group.

He was detained and indicted on charges of using drugs mixed with methamphetamine and ecstasy, as well as liquid marijuana, while staying overseas from the end of last year to early this year. It was also revealed that he smoked marijuana in the United States last year and, after returning to Korea, purchased liquid marijuana twice from a supplier, leading to additional charges of marijuana smoking and purchase.