CJ Group heir-apparent gets suspended jail term for drug smuggling

By Kim Jae-heun

Lee Sun-ho

Lee Sun-ho, CJ Group heir-apparent and the eldest son of group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun, was freed from detention, Thursday, after a local court gave him a three-year prison term suspended for four years after finding him guilty of drug smuggling.

The Incheon District Court did not order him to undergo probation or take an anti-drug education program.

“Drugs, including marijuana, are highly psychedelic and addictive, and smuggling them is a serious crime as it can lead to prevalence of illegal substances and other criminal activities,” the court said in the ruling. “However, we decided to not imprison Lee as he has no criminal record and fully regrets his mistake.”

On Sept. 1, Lee was caught at Incheon International Airport while attempting to smuggle dozens of e-cigarette cartridges filled with highly enriched liquid marijuana from the United States. A customs screening also found Lee was carrying 167 edible marijuana products in his backpack. Lee said he had purchased them in Los Angeles where their use is legal.

The chaebol scion also tested positive for using the illegal drug. The customs authority immediately referred him to the police where he admitted to all allegations.

After several hours of questioning, officers decided to book him without physical detention and sent him home, raising criticism that it was being too lenient on Lee. Prosecution, which imediately request an arrest warrants.

Two days later, the prosecution summoned Lee for questioning and sent him back home again, but the next day the businessman came to the Incheon District Prosecutor's Office on his own and asked to be arrested. Lee has been detained since Sept. 6 when the prosecution obtained an arrest warrant.