Wheesung's Medication 'Etomidate'... Illegal Online Sales Rampant

General Anesthetic, Similar to Propofol
"Can Be Received in 30-40 Minutes"
Illegal Online Sales Flourish Using SNS

When I requested a verification photo from the seller, they immediately sent a photo of Etomidate.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] "Etomidate for sale. Once the bank transfer is confirmed, delivery will be made by a throw-and-go method."

Etomidate, known to have been administered to singer Wheesung (real name Choi Wheesung, 38). It is a general anesthetic used during surgeries or endoscopies, but it is known as the second propofol because it produces effects similar to propofol. Because of this fact, posts selling etomidate continue to appear online. There are also reports of illegal transactions, raising calls for action.

On the 6th, when contacted through social networking services (SNS) by someone selling etomidate and expressing intent to purchase, they said, "I will sell 6 bottles of etomidate for 00 million won," and "You can receive the goods within 30 to 40 minutes." According to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, anyone other than a licensed pharmacy operator who sells pharmaceuticals is subject to imprisonment for up to 3 years or a fine of up to 30 million won.

The Seoul Eastern District Court sentenced Nam (35), who was arrested and indicted for selling etomidate to Wheesung, to one year in prison on the 1st. Park (27), who manufactured etomidate and sold it to Nam, was also sentenced to two years in prison and fined 5 million won. In July of last year, police received intelligence that etomidate was flowing into entertainment establishments and launched an investigation, arresting two intermediaries involved in pharmaceutical distribution and the head of a pharmaceutical wholesale company, totaling three people. In the same month, a field investigation by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety confirmed that 15,700 units of etomidate were secretly diverted from two medical institutions and three wholesalers.

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced an administrative notice on the 15th of last month to designate etomidate as a drug prone to misuse and abuse. Once designated as a drug prone to misuse and abuse, labeling regarding misuse will be required on containers and packaging, and distribution management will be strengthened by restricting use to hospitals and clinics only. A Ministry of Food and Drug Safety official stated, "We will revise related notices to raise awareness of the risks of pharmaceuticals and simultaneously work to eradicate illegal online distribution."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.