Court: "Highly Blameworthy and Repeated Offenses"
The son of Lee Chulgyu, a member of the People Power Party, who was brought to trial on charges of using synthetic marijuana, has been sentenced to prison in the first trial.
Lee Chulgyu, a member of the People Power Party, is answering questions from the press after holding a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office on July 22, 2025, to announce his position regarding the investigation into the fallen Marine special prosecutor. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
On August 18, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 36 (presiding judge Lee Jeongyeop) sentenced Mr. Lee, who was indicted and detained on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances), to two years and six months in prison. The court also ordered him to complete 40 hours of drug addiction rehabilitation education and to pay a forfeiture of 5.12 million won.
His wife, Ms. Lim, who was indicted together with him, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, suspended for three years. The court also ordered probation, 40 hours of drug addiction treatment lectures, and the forfeiture of 1.73 million won.
Mr. Lee's middle school classmate, Mr. Jeong, and his senior from military service, Mr. Kwon, were sentenced to three years in prison and three years in prison suspended for five years, respectively. Mr. Jeong was also ordered to complete 40 hours of drug addiction rehabilitation education and to pay a forfeiture of 2.41 million won, while Mr. Kwon was placed on probation, ordered to complete 40 hours of rehabilitation education, and to pay a forfeiture of 5.63 million won.
The court stated regarding Mr. Lee, "He has a prior record of being granted a suspension of indictment for smoking marijuana in 2020, and he played a substantial role as the main instigator in involving the other defendants in the crime. The offense is particularly blameworthy because he traded synthetic marijuana, which carries a severe statutory penalty, and even smoked marijuana in a public space, such as in front of an apartment elevator."
Mr. Lee and others were brought to trial in May 2025 on charges of purchasing synthetic marijuana twice and using it three times between October 2024 and February 2025. They also faced charges of multiple failed attempts to purchase liquid marijuana and other narcotics.
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