Seoul Gangnam Academy Drug Beverage Incident Main Culprit Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison
The main perpetrator of the 'drug beverage tasting' incident that occurred in the academy area of Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, has been sentenced to 23 years in prison by the Supreme Court.
According to the legal community, the Supreme Court's second chamber recently upheld the original sentence of 23 years in prison for Lee (28), who was indicted on charges of violating the Drug Control Act and others.
Lee was brought to trial for allegedly instructing accomplices in and outside the country to manufacture and distribute the so-called 'drug beverage' by mixing methamphetamine with milk while staying in China since October 2022.
Following Lee's instructions, accomplices provided drug beverages to 13 middle and high school students in the academy area of Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, in April 2023, under the pretext of "concentration-enhancing drinks."
They attempted to extort money from the students' parents by threatening to report them, but the parents reported them to the police, so they were unable to actually receive any money. This behavior caused significant shock and anxiety to the students and their families.
Both the first and second trial courts sentenced Lee to 23 years in prison, and the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, finding no issues with the charges or sentencing judgment. Given that this case caused a large social ripple, the court emphasized the need for severe punishment.
In particular, there has been an increasing call for stricter legal responses due to the nature of the crime targeting adolescents.
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