"I Will Stop Sleeping Pills and Reflect"... Oh Jaewon Chokes Up at 4-Year Prison Sentence Request

Prosecution Seeks 4-Year Prison Sentence for Oh Jaewon
"Determined to Quit... Asks for Forgiveness" Plea
Third Offense for Violation of Narcotics Control Act

Former professional baseball player Oh Jae-won, accused of violating the Narcotics Control Act and other charges. Photo by Yonhap News

The prosecution has requested a 4-year prison sentence for former professional baseball player and national team member Oh Jae-won (39), who was indicted on charges of proxy prescription of sleeping pills.

On the 19th, Judge Yoo Dong-gyu of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 24 held the first trial for Oh Jae-won, who was indicted for violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances), and concluded the arguments. The prosecution asked the court to sentence Oh Jae-won to 4 years in prison and impose a fine of approximately 23 million won.

In the final defense, the defense counsel argued, "(Oh Jae-won) sincerely regrets his crime and is committed to preventing recidivism," adding that he was mentally exhausted during his active career but could not inform those around him and did not receive proper treatment at the appropriate time. They further requested, "Please consider that he obtained the drugs for his own use in emergencies and did not engage in behavior that could affect others," and appealed, "Please show leniency so that he can be released as soon as possible and resume normal activities." Oh Jae-won, in his final statement, tearfully said, "I have been reflecting while thinking about those I have harmed over the past eight months. I will continue to ask for their forgiveness and learn a lesson to live a life that does not harm others again." He added, "I have not touched sleeping pills during my incarceration and have a strong will to quit. I reflect and ask for forgiveness."

Previously, Oh Jae-won is accused of having 14 current and former baseball players prescribed a total of 2,365 tablets of Stilnox and Xanax, medical narcotics, 86 times from May 2021 to last March, and then receiving the drugs. The prosecution has identified that he used his senior position in the baseball community to ask younger players in their early to mid-20s or players moving between the first and second teams to get prescriptions for sleeping pills. It was also confirmed that Oh Jae-won verbally abused, cursed, and threatened some of his juniors during this process.

This is the third time he has been indicted for violating the Narcotics Control Act. Oh Jae-won was previously arrested and indicted for using methamphetamine 11 times and receiving 2,242 tablets of Stilnox (a sleeping aid containing zolpidem) from an acquaintance from November 2022 to November 2023. He was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison in the first trial on July 1 and is currently undergoing an appeal trial. Additionally, he was further indicted last November for receiving about 0.2 grams of methamphetamine from an acquaintance named Lee. He was sentenced to 4 months in prison with a 2-year probation in the first trial in May and has appealed the decision.