'Drug Charges' B.I's Suspended Sentence Confirmed... Prosecutors Say "No Need to Appeal"

[Asia Economy Reporters Seongpil Cho, Daehyun Kim] The suspended sentence for B.I (25, Kim Hanbin), a former member of the idol group iKON accused of drug use, has been finalized. The prosecution, which initially sought a prison sentence for B.I, explained their reason for dropping the appeal, stating that "(the first trial sentence) was not significantly different from the prosecutor's perspective."

On the 23rd, a prosecution official explained that they did not submit an appeal to the court by the appeal deadline of the first trial judgment on the 17th. Criminal trials allow appeals within 7 days from the date of sentencing.

On that day, the prosecution official said, "It is not unusual for the trial prosecutor to determine during the trial process, based on circumstances, that there is no need to appeal," adding, "(B.I's sentence) seems to be within the range where appeals are usually not made."

He stated, "During the trial, the court considers sentencing factors such as how much the defendant reflects and the likelihood of recidivism, and if the prosecutor also judges that it is not significantly outside the sentencing range, they do not appeal," adding, "This decision also reflected the investigation team's opinion."

Former idol group iKON member B.I, who was indicted on drug administration charges and received a suspended prison sentence confirmed in the first trial [Image source=Yonhap News]

Previously, B.I was prosecuted on charges of smoking marijuana three times in 2016 when he was 19 years old and purchasing LSD, a type of drug. The prosecution initially requested the court to "sentence the defendant to 3 years in prison and order a fine of 1.5 million won," stating, "The defendant appeared to have considerable interest in narcotics at the time and committed such crimes despite being a beloved celebrity."

On the 10th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25-3 (Presiding Judge Park Sarang) sentenced B.I, who was indicted for violating the Narcotics Control Act, to 3 years in prison with a 4-year suspended sentence. They also ordered 80 hours of community service, 40 hours of drug treatment lectures, and a fine of 1.5 million won.

At that time, the court stated, "This cannot be seen as a crime committed out of mere curiosity, and a celebrity's handling of narcotics dilutes public and youth awareness, having a significant social impact," but also noted, "The defendant admits and reflects on the crime, the parents have pledged to guide the defendant, and the defendant appears to maintain good social ties with those around him."

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