The police are considering further summoning actor Lee Sun-kyun (48), who was booked on charges of drug use. The investigation into singer G-Dragon (35, real name Kwon Ji-yong), who faces the same allegations, is expected to be concluded soon.
Woo Jong-soo, the head of the National Investigation Headquarters at the Police Agency, said at a regular press briefing at the Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the 11th, "The allegation that Lee Sun-kyun used drugs is one track, and there's a case where Lee Sun-kyun filed a lawsuit against certain individuals for extortion. These are not separate cases. The substance of the extortion case needs to be investigated to some extent before we can assess the credibility of the testimonies related to the drug use allegations."
Woo added, "We are speeding up the investigation. Once some more investigation is done regarding the extortion case and related matters, we will consider summoning Lee Sun-kyun. There is no specific date for the summoning yet."
Regarding G-Dragon, Woo said, "(We) have objectively verified the drug use allegations. We have investigated about six people, and the investigation is in its final stages. We plan to conclude it promptly."
The police received intelligence in September that drugs were being circulated at an entertainment establishment in Gangnam, Seoul, and during the investigation, Lee Sun-kyun and G-Dragon were identified as suspects.
Lee Sun-kyun was accused of using various types of drugs, including marijuana, at the residence of Mr. A, the manager of the entertainment establishment, since early this year. Lee Sun-kyun has neither admitted nor denied the allegations. However, he filed a lawsuit against Mr. A in October for extortion and threats. It is known that he handed over about 300 million won to Mr. A.
Lee Sun-kyun has undergone two police summonings and reportedly stated during the second summons on November 4th that he "did not know the drugs provided by Mr. A were narcotics." According to the National Forensic Service (NFS), a drug 'negative' reaction was found in the body hair samples taken from Lee Sun-kyun.
G-Dragon has denied the allegations. He also received 'negative' results in the NFS's detailed examination. The police checked whether G-Dragon had bleached or dyed his hair to confirm the possibility of evidence tampering, but no signs of bleaching or dyeing were found.
The police, based on Mr. A's statements, initiated an investigation into Lee Sun-kyun and G-Dragon, but as the investigation made no progress, they have been criticized for an excessive investigation.