"Finally Hugged My Son": Former Gyeonggi Governor Nam Kyungpil Reveals Eldest Son's Release After Drug Conviction

Son Released After Serving 2 Years and 6 Months, Following Father’s Own Police Report
Devoting Himself to Drug Addiction Recovery Advocacy After Leaving Politics

Former five-term National Assembly member and Gyeonggi Province governor Nam Kyungpil has revealed the scene of his eldest son’s release, who had been imprisoned for drug-related crimes. Nam shared footage of his son returning to society after serving his sentence on his YouTube channel, encouraging recovery and a fresh start.

Former five-term National Assembly member and Gyeonggi Province governor Nam Kyung-pil revealed the release scene of his eldest son, who had been imprisoned for drug-related crimes. YouTube channel 'Nam Kyung-pil Inoma'

On October 1, Nam filmed and posted a video on his YouTube channel, 'Nam Kyungpil Inoma,' showing his reunion with his eldest son in front of the National Forensic Hospital in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province. This hospital is a specialized facility where individuals ordered by the court to undergo treatment and custody receive psychiatric care.

In the video, Nam, along with his wife, second son, and other family members, waited in front of the hospital for his eldest son. When the door opened and his son appeared, Nam said, "Come here, let me hug you," and embraced him tightly. The family, unable to hold back their emotions, joined hands and prayed, saying, "Thank you for allowing us to meet again."

The eldest son also bowed his head and expressed his gratitude to the hospital staff. Nam said, "We have been apart for a long time, but hugging like this makes it feel real," and added, "Now, this is truly the beginning."

Nam Kyungpil, CEO of the nonprofit organization Eun-gu (former governor of Gyeonggi Province), is giving a lecture on the theme "Drugs Infiltrated into Daily Life, The End of Addiction" at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, hosted by Asia Economy last month.

Nam's eldest son had previously received a suspended sentence in 2019 for charges of smuggling and using drugs. Later, in 2022, he was prosecuted again for inhaling marijuana and for injecting methamphetamine a total of 16 times between August 2022 and March 2023. At the time of his second offense, it became widely known that Nam himself had reported his son to the police, drawing significant public attention.

The court of first instance sentenced him to two years and six months in prison, along with mandatory drug treatment lectures and an order for treatment and custody. The prosecution appealed, arguing that the sentence was too light, but the appellate court upheld the original verdict. At the final hearing of the appeal, Nam requested a swift ruling so that his son could receive treatment.

In court, the eldest son stated, "If I return to society after treatment, I want to help other addicts from the perspective of someone in recovery."

Since leaving politics in 2018, Nam has been dedicated to drug prevention and rehabilitation activities. Last year, he founded the drug addiction recovery support group 'NGU (Eun-gu),' a name that combines the meanings of "seeking grace" and "Never Give Up." Chun Woo-won, grandson of former President Chun Doo-hwan, is also active in this organization.

Recently, in a media interview, Nam said, "I have no intention of returning to politics," adding, "What I am doing now is far more meaningful than politics." He stated, "In the past, I wanted to change the lives of many people, but now I am focused on one person's life," and emphasized, "That is a more valuable endeavor."