Prosecutors grip SK chaebol's grandson for drug use
The grandson of SK Group founder Chey Jong-gun leaves Namdong Police Station in Incheon Tuesday as he is escorted to the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office over allegations of purchasing and using illegal drugs. Yonhap
Police referred a grandson of SK Group founder Chey Jong-gun to prosecutors Tuesday after he was arrested on suspicion of using drugs last week.
The 31-year-old grandson, whose name was withheld and only identified by his surname Chey, is suspected of making 15 purchases of liquid marijuana in cartridges and marijuana-laced cookies from a drug dealer, only identified by his surname Lee, and using them between March and May last year.
He also faces allegations that he bought marijuana from another drug dealer, whose identity has yet to be confirmed, three times.
The marijuana he bought from the 27-year-old Lee amounted to 45 grams, most of which are cookies containing the drug.
The use of marijuana-laced cookies has gained popularity and spread since the mid-2000s, when students studying abroad and foreign English language instructors smuggled them into South Korea.
Police said Chey admitted to the allegations, and said he bought them out of curiosity and used them mainly at home.
The grandson of the SK Group founder is also a son of Chey Yoon-won, the late former chief of SK Chemicals Co.
Meanwhile, police investigating Lee, the drug seller, have confirmed circumstances that a 28-year-old man, only identified by his surname Chung, also bought the banned substance from Lee, whom Chung met while studying abroad.
Lee was quoted as confessing to police that he came to know Chung, also a grandson of Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung, during their overseas study, and they smoked marijuana together.
Chung, who has been staying abroad since February, has said via his lawyer that he intends to return home soon to undergo police questioning over the allegations. (Yonhap)