Prosecutor faces arrest for threatening surgeon

By Kim Da-ye

Amy

The prosecution sought an arrest warrant for a prosecutor, Thursday, on charges he abused his position to demand a cosmetic surgeon perform surgery on, and refund money to, a female TV personality that he had previously indicted.

Entertainer Amy had been prosecuted for use of an anesthetic drug without a medical prescription.

The 37-year-old prosecutor, surnamed Jeon, is suspected of intimidating the surgeon, telling him that he would be investigated and sued if he didn’t refund money related to a previous procedure undergone by Amy, 32, who rose to fame in a reality TV program.

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said it questioned Jeon Wednesday and asked the Seoul Central District Court to issue a warrant for his arrest. The court started its review of the request for the warrant, Thursday.

Jeon and Amy got to know each other in 2012 when he questioned her for having propofol, an anesthesia precursor colloquially known as “milk” due to its appearance, administered to her without a proper prescription. She was convicted but released on probation.

In the past two years, a string of female celebrities have been charged with using propofol.

The celebrity allegedly told Jeon that she was suffering from the side effects of plastic surgery. He then met Choi, the surgeon who owns a clinic in southern Seoul, and asked him to operate on Amy again and refund part of what she spent on the previous treatment. He is said to have threatened to conduct a “search and seizure.”

Amy allegedly underwent another surgical procedure costing 7 million won, but was given 15 million won from Choi via Jeon.

The reason why Jeon helped Amy is unknown. He reportedly said he did so only because of her “pitiful situation.”

Prosecutors are also looking into Jeon’s potential involvement in the investigation of plastic surgeons who administered large quantities of propofol to their clients. Choi, was among those who were investigated early last year by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.