'Kim Najung Tests Positive for Methamphetamine in the Philippines'

2-Hour Investigation at Incheon International Airport on the 12th
Positive Rapid Test... Case Transferred to Residential Jurisdiction

Recently, Kim Najung (32), a former freelance announcer turned broadcaster who caused controversy by posting on social media (SNS) that she would confess to drug use while staying in the Philippines, reportedly tested positive in a drug test conducted at Incheon International Airport after returning to Korea.

On the 14th, Yonhap News reported that the Incheon International Airport Police Unit investigated Kim on the 12th on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act, and a preliminary drug test showed a positive reaction for methamphetamine. Kim was questioned for about two hours immediately after returning to Incheon Airport on a passenger flight from Manila, Philippines on the same day.

Freelance announcer Kim Najung, a former Maxim model, tested positive for methamphetamine in a rapid drug screening test. Kim Najung Instagram

On the 10th, before departing from Manila, Philippines, Kim posted on her SNS, "I confess to using drugs in the Philippines," and "I feel like I’m going to die, so I can’t board the plane," causing a stir. She wrote, "Last night, the flight from Manila was delayed, and late at night, airport staff and immigration officers were all filming me. Like in The Truman Show, I tried to avoid a drug smuggling incident by throwing away all my suitcases and bags," and "I confess to using drugs in the Philippines. Due to my delusions, I feel like I’m going to die somehow, so I can’t board the plane," rambling with statements whose truthfulness could not be verified.

She also shared text messages exchanged with the embassy’s official number, requesting, "Please call the embassy for me." She urgently pleaded, "I want to go to Korea. I feel like I will die if I board the plane," and "I feel like I will die if I leave Manila. The airport is dangerous," but did not provide any explanation about the circumstances before or after. Although the post was soon deleted, netizens had already shared it on online communities, spreading it rapidly. Some netizens even reported Kim to the police on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act.

A police official told Yonhap News, "Kim herself said she was in danger and asked for protection, and upon her return, we only confirmed facts related to drug use." The Incheon Airport Police transferred Kim’s case to the narcotics task force of the police agency that has jurisdiction over her residence.

Kim Najung began her modeling career by winning the Miss Maxim contest hosted by the men's magazine Maxim in 2019. She also worked as a freelance announcer and weathercaster, and appeared on survival entertainment programs such as 'Verification Zone: The Community' and 'Black Sheep Game' aired on Wavve, actively working as a broadcaster.