Oh Jaewon Forces Doosan Juniors to Proxy-Prescribe Sleeping Pills

Club's Internal Investigation Reported to KBO
"Assaulted and Threatened to Take Drugs"

It has been revealed that former professional baseball player Oh Jae-won (39), who is accused of drug use, received sleeping pills through proxy prescriptions from his junior teammates during his playing days.

Former professional baseball player and national team member Oh Jae-won, who was arrested on charges including violation of the Narcotics Control Act, is being transferred to a transport vehicle for prosecution at Gangnam Police Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on March 29.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to a report by Yonhap News on the 22nd, the Doosan Bears, the team Oh Jae-won belonged to, reported to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) that eight players affiliated with the team had provided sleeping pills to Oh Jae-won through proxy prescriptions.

Earlier, Oh Jae-won was detained and indicted at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the 17th on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances) and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (retaliatory threats, etc.). During the investigation, suspicions arose that he involved junior baseball players in obtaining sleeping pills through proxy prescriptions.

The Doosan team stated, "We conducted an internal investigation around the end of March when the issue surfaced and identified related facts," adding, "The players involved are currently cooperating sincerely with the police investigation."

The identities of the Doosan players involved in the incident have not been disclosed, but it is known that most of them are second-team players. Some reportedly engaged in habitual proxy prescriptions dozens of times, and there are cases where they obtained proxy prescriptions even while on away games.

They claimed it was difficult to refuse the requests of Oh Jae-won, who was the team captain and a formidable senior, and that they were greatly fearful due to physical and verbal abuse. One player said in an interview with Channel A on the same day, "(Oh Jae-won) was a senior with a strong position in the team, and even the coaches could not treat him carelessly. I was worried that if I displeased him, it would negatively affect my playing career," adding, "When I initially refused, I was called out separately and was kicked two or three times in the shin. He also lightly slapped my cheek and said, 'Let's do well.'"

Oh Jae-won's side has not yet issued an official statement regarding the allegations of forced proxy prescriptions. The Doosan team apologized to Yonhap News, saying, "Through this investigation, we learned that Oh Jae-won forced team players to obtain proxy prescriptions during his active years in 2021 and 2022," and added, "We apologize to the fans and league members."

Meanwhile, the KBO Secretariat has drawn a line on conducting a full investigation targeting players from all 10 KBO League teams in relation to this incident. The KBO Secretariat stated, "We will prepare a response plan after observing the Doosan team's investigation and the police investigation."

Oh Jae-won is accused of using methamphetamine a total of 11 times from November 2022 to November last year, and in April last year, storing about 0.4g of methamphetamine in a fire hydrant in the hallway of an acquaintance's apartment. He is also charged with receiving and distributing a total of 2,242 Stilnox tablets, a psychotropic drug, prescribed by nine acquaintances from January last year to March this year, and purchasing 20 Stilnox tablets using the names of acquaintances. Additionally, he is accused of threatening an acquaintance who tried to report his methamphetamine use by smashing the acquaintance's mobile phone with a hammer and grabbing their collar.