Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Death of actor raises concerns over privacy during police investigations
Actor Lee Sun-kyun, center, attends the third subpoena on suspicions of drug use at the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency in Incheon, Saturday. Yonhap
By Jung Da-hyun
Indiscriminate disclosures may have increased psychological pressure on suspect: experts
Lee Sun-kyun's death has raised questions over how police investigations into his alleged drug use were publicized.
The renowned actor, celebrated for his role in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," was found dead, Wednesday, in a car in a public parking lot in Seoul's Seongbuk District. Police at the scene reported signs of a suicide attempt.
Lee had been under police investigation on charges of using a number of drugs that are illegal in Korea. He had gone through three rounds of police questioning from October, stemming from a tip-off regarding the illicit circulation of drugs in "high-end bars" in Gangnam District in Seoul.
After previously denying the charges, Lee admitted to using drugs, on the third round of questioning. He claimed that he had been deceived and asserted that he was unaware of the nature of the substances he took, denying any intention to break the law.
He tested negative in both the brief reagent test during police interrogations and the lab-based drug test conducted by the National Forensic Service.
Police authorities investigate the area where actor Lee Sun-kyun was found dead in a parking area in Jongno District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
Experts are raising questions about the handling of information during the investigation, expressing concerns about the overexposure private details, which may have placed additional undue pressure on Lee.
Lee Soo-jung, a professor of forensic psychology at Kyonggi University, emphasized the impact of excessive media coverage on the investigation process.
"Even though the charge was drug use, further information such as private conversations between Lee and the hostess were reportedly exposed by the media to the public," she said.
Over the past three months, approximately 2,872 media reports have covered Lee's alleged drug use and related scandals, according to Representative Park Chan-dae, a member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).
Kim Sang-gyun, a professor of the Division of Police Science at Baekseok University, also highlighted the detrimental effect of real-time and speculative reports during the police investigation on Lee's psychological well-being.
"Being a famous actor, the mere appearance in a police investigation can impose immense psychological pressure," he said.
During the three subpoenaed appearances, it was revealed that Lee had officially requested closed-door questioning upon receiving the third subpoena. Police declined the request.
While acknowledging the significance of uncovering the truth, Kim underscored the need to prioritize the protection of suspects' human rights, particularly in the case of high-profile individuals like Lee.
"There are possibilities of indiscriminate disclosure and encroachment on the privacy of public figures," he said.
Certain systems have been implemented, aiming to prevent suspects from experiencing complete isolation during investigations. These measures include banning late-night investigations and ensuring a substantial access to legal counsel throughout the inquiry.
However, lawyer Shin Min-young questioned their fundamental impact, expressing skepticism about the efficacy of these systems.
"Although there are some systems, I wonder if this can be a fundamental measure as the investigation process itself is very stressful for the person," he said.
Amid growing criticism of the overexposure, Kim Hee-jong, the chief of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency expressed his condolence, Thursday.
However, he emphasized that the investigation was conducted in accordance with proper procedures, based on specific evidence, despite criticisms of it being an excessive probe.
Meanwhile, concerns are emerging about the potential impact on drug investigations.
Shin emphasized that the incident should not result in a decrease in the scrutiny of drug-related crimes; instead, there should be an intensification of investigative efforts.
Professor Kim explained the significance of probing drug cases, highlighting that they often involve forms of organized crime rather than isolated incidents.
"It would be inappropriate for this incident to lead to a diminishing focus on drug investigations," Kim said.
"However, what we should learn from this incident is that improvement is needed in areas such as safeguarding the rights of suspects and addressing media indiscriminately disclosing information during police investigations," he added.