Appellate court shortens prison term to 1 1/2 years for scion of Namyang Dairy founder over drug use

The Seoul High Court / Korea Times file

A Seoul appeals court on Wednesday sentenced the grandson of the founder of Namyang Dairy Products to 18 months in prison for selling and smoking marijuana.

The Seoul High Court overturned the lower court's sentence of two years in prison and handed down the shortened term to the scion of the major dairy firm, identified only by his surname Hong, along with 40 hours of a rehabilitation program. The court also ordered a forfeit of 34.5 million won ($26,000).

"The defendant acquired a significant amount of financial gains by selling marijuana, worth 35 million won, 16 times, and possessed a raft of marijuana in his home," the court said.

In October, the 40-year-old grandson of Namyang Dairy Products' late founder, Hong Doo-young, was indicted for selling marijuana, and possessing and smoking the drug.

He was indicted with additional charges in February for selling liquid marijuana to five people 16 times, including to the son of a former police chief and a family member of JB Financial Group. (Yonhap)