As late South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun’s household and associates collect to mourn his loss of life, public criticism of police and media conduct throughout his investigation for suspected drug use is rising.
Lee, finest recognized globally for his starring function within the Oscar-winning movie “Parasite”, was discovered lifeless inside a automobile in Seoul this week, with media reporting he left a observe “that reads like a will”.
Lee’s status had suffered a major blow when South Korean authorities launched an investigation into his alleged drug use in October.
The movie star was dropped from tv, movie and business initiatives, incurring damages media reviews estimated at as much as 10 billion gained ($7.8 million).
Police have been accused of leaking confidential investigation particulars to the press, fanning malicious protection and fueling the unfold of unverified content material on-line.
Lee’s loss of life has prompted public criticism of the media and police, who questioned him for 19 hours a number of days earlier than his loss of life.
“There was no need to name the suspect in the investigation”, Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korea research on the University of Oslo, informed AFP.
“In South Korea — to a much larger degree than in any European country with higher degrees of tolerance for the use of psychotropic stuffs — being named as a suspect in a drug investigation is a punishment per se, by social ostracism.”
Yu Hyun-jae, a communications professor at Sogang University, informed a neighborhood broadcaster that Lee’s case could be thought-about a “social murder”, with the media, police, and the general public sharing accountability.
Incheon Metropolitan Police chief Kim Hui-jung defended the “entire investigation process”, which he stated was performed “in compliance with legal procedures”.
“There was no leakage (to media) of investigation details as raised by some,” he informed reporters Thursday.
South Korea has powerful legal guidelines on unlawful medicine, with President Yoon Suk Yeol declaring a “war on drugs” after taking workplace final yr.
A personal ceremony for the actor was held on the Seoul National University Hospital on Friday, after which his physique was taken to a crematorium.
The ceremony was attended by his spouse and fellow actor Jeon Hye-jin, his two sons, and lots of the actor’s colleagues, together with Gong Hyo-jin, Ryu Seung-ryong and Lee Sung-min.
“Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho and co-stars Park So-dam and Park Myung-hoon visited the funeral residence on Thursday, as did acclaimed auteur Park Chan-wook and actors Jung Woo-sung and Lee Jung-jae.
Grieving followers caught handwritten notes to the entrance of the hospital.
One wrote: “Thank you for being Lee Sun-kyun.
“The works you have created with your efforts and sincerity have saved countless people.”
“We’re sorry we couldn’t do anything for you when you were having a hard time,” the observe stated.
A collection of leisure business occasions in South Korea have been cancelled so that individuals may pay condolences to the late actor.
Seoul’s Gangnam district — recognized for costly residences, high-end bars, golf equipment and a cluster of cosmetic surgery clinics — has been on the centre of a collection if high-profile drug scandals.
Lee had been suspected of utilizing illicit medicine on the residence of a hostess employed at a high-end bar within the glamorous district.
The late actor had denied knowingly taking the medicine, saying he was “tricked” into doing so by the hostess, towards whom he had filed a criticism for blackmail and extortion, in response to South Korea’s Yonhap news company.
Lee had examined unfavourable for medicine twice, as soon as throughout police investigations and once more in a lab final month, Yonhap reported.
Police stated Friday that they had transferred a plastic surgeon, who operates a clinic in Gangnam, to the prosecution for the alleged unlawful provide of medication to the bar hostess.
Among the medicine that Lee allegedly took was ketamine, which was concerned in a 2018 date-rape scandal at Gangnam’s Burning Sun nightclub, then run by the now-disgraced and convicted Ok-pop star Seungri.
This yr, a person was sentenced to life in jail for orchestrating a kidnapping and homicide that concerned ketamine additionally illicitly obtained from a cosmetic surgery clinic in Gangnam.
© 2023 AFP