Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Police hit for poor probe into drug allegation of Namyang Dairy founder's granddaughter
By Kim Hyun-bin
Amid a sex and drug scandal that also involves alleged corrupt ties between celebrity nightclub-owners and police, the latter are being accused of being “lenient” in their investigation into alleged drug use by Hwang Ha-na, the granddaughter of Namyang Dairy Products founder Hong Du-yeong.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Wednesday it had opened its own investigation to uncover whether charges against Hwang were dropped due to her family connections, although she was directly implicated in drug cases in 2011 and 2015.
Picture of Hwang Ha-na from her Instagram.
By Kim Hyun-bin
In 2015, Hwang was booked for supplying a university student surnamed Choi with 0.5 grams of methamphetamine, which they used together. But she faced no criminal charges and was not even summoned for questioning even after Cho specifically stated Hwang was the supplier.
Unlike Hwang, Cho was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail suspended for three years.
Hwang was involved in another drug case in 2011 according to court records which showed that two people who had smoked marijuana with Hwang in a car in 2009 were convicted of using the drug, while the indictment against her was suspended.
While these cases raise suspicions that law enforcement turned a blind eye to her criminal offences, a local media outlet revealed a recording in which she boasted of her family's ties to high-level officials.
“A senior prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Persecutors' Office? My uncle and father are best friends with the chief of the National Police Agency,” she said in a 2015 recording when allegations of her drug use were a hot topic. “I just came back from a meeting with the chief of the Namdaemun Police Station.”
Then-NPA head Kang Shin-myung denied any involvement. “I don't know who Hwang Ha-na is, and don't know anyone from Namyang Dairy Products,” he said in an interview with local media.
A video was also revealed showing Hwang appearing to be high on drugs.
“Everything looks hazy, hazy, hazy. The curtain seems that way,” the girl in the video presumed to be Hwang says, making hand gestures.
Namyang Dairy issued a statement Tuesday, stating that issues surrounding Hwang and her family had nothing do with the company as they do not work for it nor own shares.