Prosecutors Indict 6 Doctors Without Detention for Illegal Prescription of Drugs to Yoo Ah-in

Nurse Aide Involved in Crime Under Doctor's Orders, 'Prosecution Deferred with Educational Conditions'

Six doctors who illegally prescribed drugs to actor Yoo Ah-in (37, real name Eom Hong-sik), who was indicted on charges of habitual drug use, have been brought to trial.

Actor Yoo Ah-in (real name Eom Hong-sik), who has been indicted on charges including violation of the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances), marijuana smoking and inducement, evidence tampering inducement, violation of the Medical Service Act, and fraud, is responding to reporters' questions as he appears at the Seoul Central District Court on the morning of the 12th of last month. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

The Violent Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Yeon-sil) announced on the 9th that during the investigation into Yoo's habitual use of propofol and illegal purchase of zolpidem under another person's name, six doctors involved in illegal activities were indicted without detention for violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances) and other charges. Additionally, two nursing assistants who participated in the crimes under the doctors' instructions were given conditional suspension of prosecution with education.

According to the prosecution, among these individuals, two doctors prescribed the sleep medication Stilnox under another person's name to Yoo, and three doctors are accused of failing to report propofol administration records to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and not recording the prescription details. One of them was subject to an arrest warrant request for self-administering propofol, but the warrant was dismissed, and the case was forwarded to trial without detention.

The prosecution judged that these doctors prescribed sleep medications, which have strictly limited prescription amounts per person, to Yoo under another person's name without proper medical examination, and neglected the management of narcotics by failing to report propofol administration records to the MFDS and not recording prescription details.

A prosecution official stated, "Despite having the duty as medical professionals to strictly manage psychotropic drugs such as sleep medications and anesthetics, which have high dependency and risk, to prevent misuse and abuse, they were negligent."