'Gangnam Drug Drink' Manufacturer Sentenced to 15 Years in First Trial... "An Unreasonable New Type of Crime"

Members of a voice phishing organization involved in producing and supplying the 'drug beverage' that terrorized the academy district in Gangnam, Seoul, were sentenced to heavy prison terms in the first trial.

The Criminal Division 26 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jeong Jin-ah) sentenced Gil (26), who was indicted for violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances) and joining and participating in a criminal organization, to 15 years in prison on the 26th.

Gilmo (in black at the back), who manufactured and delivered drug beverages, and Kim (in gray at the front), who participated in manipulating the phone number for threatening calls [Image source=Yonhap News]

The court recognized all the charges against Gil, including the maximum penalty offense of 'drug use by minors for profit,' as guilty. The court criticized, "This is a heinous crime that exploits minors who should be protected for profit, combining voice phishing crimes and drug crimes that cause social harm, a new type of crime that is unimaginable by common sense." It added, "However, considering that some victims did not drink the beverage or that most did not consume it entirely due to its unpleasant taste," as a reason for sentencing.

It also pointed out, "Gil manufactured the beverage by adding 0.1g, which is 3.3 times the usual single dose per bottle," and "The victims, whose bodies and minds should be developing, were unintentionally exposed to drugs for the first time, causing national outrage at its peak and making it difficult for them to focus properly on their studies."

Park (36), the drug supplier, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Kim (39), the manager of the voice phishing phone relay device, was sentenced to 8 years. Regarding Park, who was indicted for selling 1,580g of methamphetamine (wholesale price about 150 million won), including the supply to Gil, the court stated, "The case is very serious as a large amount of methamphetamine was distributed, causing it to be administered to innocent students."

Gil was prosecuted for manufacturing 100 bottles of drug beverages by mixing 10g of methamphetamine received from Park with milk using the so-called 'throwing method,' where drugs are left at an agreed location, and sending them to four part-time workers.

The part-time workers were investigated to have delivered the beverage to 13 students at an academy district in Daechi-dong, Gangnam, in April, under the pretext of a focus-enhancing beverage tasting event. In fact, nine students drank the beverage, and six of them experienced hallucinations and other symptoms.

Gil was also charged with attempted extortion for threatening six victims' parents by saying he would report their children for drug use and demanding money. Kim was indicted for changing Chinese internet phone numbers to domestic mobile phone numbers using the relay device during this process.

The court sentenced Lee (41), who recruited Lee (26), the mastermind of this case, into the voice phishing organization, to seven years in prison. The police confirmed that the main suspect Lee was arrested by Chinese public security for illegal stay and is currently pursuing his repatriation to South Korea.

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