Propofol Illegal Administration by Medical Professionals, All Sentenced to Imprisonment
Seven officials, including a doctor who engaged in illegal sales and administration of approximately 1.5 billion KRW worth of propofol by administering it without limit, were all sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial.
On the 8th, Judge Yeom Hye-soo of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced 65-year-old Dr. Seo to four years in prison and a fine of 10 million KRW for violating the Narcotics Control Act.
Lee (74), the founder of A Clinic, who was indicted on the same charges, also received the same sentence of four years in prison and a fine of 10 million KRW.
Jang (29), who worked as the consultation manager at the clinic, was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of 10 million KRW, while nurse assistant Gil (41) received a two-year prison term and a fine of 5 million KRW. The remaining three officials also received imprisonment sentences ranging from one year and six months to three years. The court deemed that medical professionals formed a criminal organization, divided roles, and executed crimes, making severe punishment inevitable.
The organized illegal distribution network of propofol was in operation.
From November 2022 to June last year, they were charged with selling and administering a total of 417 times substances such as propofol and etomidate worth approximately 1.458 billion KRW to addicts at A Clinic.
Investigations revealed that A Clinic had established a separate space called a 'skin care room', separated from the regular treatment area, where illegal administration took place.
Their operational method was systematic. The consultation manager determined the dosage based on the payment made by the patient, and nurse assistants administered injections without the doctor's supervision.
What was even more shocking was that patients were received anonymously, without any identification verification process.
The fee for propofol administration was set at an average of 1 million KRW per hour, and both dosage and duration were determined according to the addict's demands, effectively allowing unlimited administration.
According to the prosecution's investigation, a single user paid up to 18.6 million KRW for propofol in a day, with the maximum administration time reaching 10 hours and 24 minutes. It was also revealed that a member of an organized crime group who managed finances was stationed at the site to control propofol addicts and manage money.
The court criticized, stating, "Medical professionals, who are in a position to protect patients from drug abuse, committed crimes. They have generated massive profits over a long period, producing numerous addicts, and there is a high possibility of blame. Severe punishment proportional to their guilt is unavoidable."
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