Heirs of Chaebol Addicted to Drugs... "Couldn't Quit After Exposure During Studying Abroad"

Grandson of Namyang Dairy Founder Involved in Marijuana Smoking and Distribution... Cousin of Hwang Hana
Third Generation of Prominent Hyosung Family Also Caught by Prosecutors... Nine People Sent to Trial

Syringes for injecting liquid marijuana and liquid marijuana cartridges seized by the prosecution.
[Photo by Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] Habitual drug use among the children of wealthy families, including third-generation heirs of chaebols, has been revealed. It has been confirmed that the grandson of the founders of Namyang Dairy Products and Hyosung Group are involved.

The Violent Crimes Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Shin Jun-ho) announced on the 2nd that a total of nine people, including Hong (40), have been indicted on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act (marijuana).

Hong, the son of the late Hong Doo-young, honorary chairman and second son of the founder of Namyang Dairy Products, was arrested and indicted in mid-last month on charges of distributing, possessing, and smoking marijuana this October. Hong and others are accused not only of using marijuana but also of sharing their marijuana with acquaintances and international students and smoking it together. Hong is a cousin of Hwang Hana, who caused controversy due to habitual methamphetamine use.

Cho (39), a third-generation member of the Hyosung family, was indicted without detention on charges of purchasing and smoking marijuana four times between January and November this year. The son-in-law of a former chairman of a financial holding company was also indicted.

Not only third-generation chaebol heirs but also entertainers have been found to have used drugs through prosecution investigations. An American citizen, Ahn (40), a member of a three-person singing group, was arrested and indicted after being caught purchasing and smoking marijuana from March to October this year, as well as cultivating marijuana at home where he lives with his underage children.

The dominant analysis is that the reason why third-generation chaebol heirs and other wealthy children fall into drug use is that they were exposed to marijuana and other drugs at a young age while studying abroad in countries like the United States and could not quit afterward.

A former prosecutor turned lawyer, A, with experience in drug investigations, said, "Many chaebol heirs who studied abroad in the U.S., living separately from their parents and leading a free lifestyle, often continue to habitually smoke marijuana even after returning to Korea. Especially recently, an environment where drugs like marijuana are easily accessible has been created, so it seems they are using drugs without hesitation."

This case came to light as the prosecution supplemented its investigation into the case where the police arrested an unemployed man, A, in September this year on charges of cultivating marijuana. The prosecution searched A's residence and tracked remittance records and international mail, eventually arresting four people including Hong. Cho, the third-generation member of the Hyosung family, was caught after purchasing marijuana from Hong and others.

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