Choi may face drug abuse charge
Members of the National Assembly’s special committee investigating the influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye’s confidant Choi Soon-sil question staff at Kim Young-jae Plastic Surgery clinic in southern Seoul during an on-site inspection, Friday. Choi allegedly received frequent propofol injections and may face an additional charge of drug abuse. / Yonhap
By Lee Kyung-min
President Park Geun-hye’s confidant Choi Soon-sil, the central figure of an ongoing influence-peddling scandal, may face an additional charge of drug abuse, following evidence showing she received an addictive anesthetic at a plastic surgery clinic almost once a week for three years.
The sleep-inducer called propofol, used before surgery or other medical procedures, is categorized as a psychotropic drug. Given the precedents of TV personalities who were punished for frequent use of the substance, Choi may face a harsher punishment. Those convicted of drug use are subject to up to five years in prison or up to 5 million won ($4,200) in fines.
Choi’s abuse of propofol was found Friday when National Assembly members visited Kim Young-jae Plastic Surgery in southern Seoul, as part of an on-site inspection for the Assembly hearing into the Choi scandal.
Clinic staffers told the lawmakers Choi visited the clinic on a total of 136 occasions, almost weekly, between October 2013 and August this year, and spent more than 80 million won on anti-aging treatments. She received intravenous injections of propofol on almost every occasion, they said.
While clinic records showed Choi was treated under the alias “Choi Bo-jeong,” the staffers said they were unable to verify her real name as her treatments were not covered by the national health insurance and she did not pay with credit cards ― two ways to confirm a patient’s identity.
The clinic may be subject to a suspension of operations as a related law bans hospitals from recording false information about patients and treatments.
The independent counsel-led special investigation team said it would request the clinic submit its patient treatment logs and visitor lists. Choi already faces charges of abuse of power, extortion and attempted coercion.
In 2013, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced actresses Lee Seung-yeon, Park Si-yeon and Jang Mi-inae to eight months in prison suspended for two years on charges of abusing propofol.
Lee and Park were indicted for using the drug on 111 and 185 occasions, respectively, over 18 months, and Jang on 95 occasions over 19 months, meaning Park used it every four days, and Lee and Jang, every six days.
While the three claimed the drug was needed to cope with pain following plastic surgery, the court said the frequency showed habitual use.