Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
As part of a broader crackdown on drugs, as well as a connection with Burning Sun, Hwang Hana (probably best known to you as Yoochun‘s ex-fiance), her alleged drug use, and the apparent favorable treatment from police was reported on by MBC.
A video that MBC obtained shows Hwang Ha Na in 2015, sitting down as she waves her arm and talks partially in nonsense, saying that she feels like she’s in a daze. The person who provided the video to MBC said that Hwang Ha Na, who doesn’t drink alcohol, was likely on drugs. An acquaintance of Hwang Ha Na told MBC that they saw her taking drugs in 2015 using a syringe. They stated that she injected Philopon (a form of methamphetamine) several times with friends, either at hotels or at an acquaintance’s home. MBC reports that Hwang Ha Na is also well known as a major customer at Burning Sun, and she is described as being very close with the Burning Sun MD known as Cho. Hwang Ha Na’s acquaintance said that she was not only friends with Cho, but also others who have been jailed for drug offenses.
While she has been under investigation, nothing has happened, mostly due to prosecution dismissing police requests.
The Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency has been investigating Hwang Ha Na on suspicions of drug use since last October, and they already have secured testimony from Hwang Ha Na’s acquaintance who said they took drugs with her. However, the investigation has been at a standstill. When the police requested a search and seize warrant both last December and in March in order to acquire items such as Hwang Ha Na’s hair for analysis, the prosecution dismissed the requests. At the beginning of last month, Hwang Ha Na posted on social media to say that she’d cut her hair, and then removed the post soon after. Hwang Ha Na has not complied with the police’s summoning requests, making it difficult for them to proceed with the investigation. MBC stated that they attempted several times to get in contact with Hwang Ha Na, but she did not respond.
If that seems fishy to you, then you’re not alone, as suspicions about special treatment due to her status as the granddaughter of the founder of Namyang Dairy Products have been raised.
MBC reported on the suspicions that Hwang Ha Na has been receiving favorable treatment during her investigation because of her chaebol connections. She is the only granddaughter of the late founder of Namyang Dairy Products (a large Korean conglomerate). It was previously reported that in 2015, a college student named Cho was sentenced to two years and six months in prison (suspended for three years) for using Philopon. The ruling stated that it was Hwang Ha Na who sold Cho 0.5 grams of Philopon and they took drugs together. However, Hwang Ha Na’s case was sent to the prosecution by the police with the suggestion of nonindictment, and the prosecution also acquitted her. Hwang Ha Na had received a stay of indictment on her case in 2011 when she was caught using marijuana. Therefore if she had been found to have committed a further crime, it’s expected that she would have received a strong punishment.
Okay, so she reportedly not only used Philopon (meth/speed) but also sold it, which definitely makes it odd that authorities would be so lenient even back then given her past drug issues.
That’s where the police corruption angle enters, as Hwang Hana allegedly bragged about her connections to police at the time.
MBC reports that when the incident happened in 2015, Hwang Ha Na showed off about her connections with high ranking police officers. MBC acquired a recording of a conversation that Hwang Ha Na had with an acquaintance at the time. In the recording, Hwang Ha Na said, “The chief prosecutor at the Central District Prosecutor’s Office? Hey, my uncle and my dad know everyone, including the police chief. Are you joking? They’re totally best friends.” In a recording, she also boasted that she was on the way back from meeting with the most high ranking person at the Namdaemun Police Station. Kim Shin Myung, the police chief at the time, stated to MBC, “I don’t know who Hwang Ha Na is, and I know no one at Namyang Dairy Products.” The chief of the Namdaemun Police Station at the time also denied what Hwang Ha Na had said, saying that he does not meet with people in relation to charges.
Police say they have started an investigation into Hwang Hana’s drug charges, while Namyang Dairy Products released a statement basically saying that her and her family have nothing to do with the company.
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Speaking of relatives of chaebols being connected to a broader drug crackdown, the grandsons of SK Group and Hyundai Group were booked for drug ties.
SK Group‘s grandson was arrested under the suspicion of purchasing liquid marijuana about 5 times between March and May of 2018. He had allegedly used an encrypted messenger to contact his seller, who then shipped it to him in a disguised parcel. The grandson was caught when the police arrested the seller in February. During their investigations, they discovered the seller’s connections to SK Group‘s grandson, as well as the grandson of Hyundai Group‘s founder. The Hyundai Group’s grandson allegedly used the same messenger device to purchase illegal drugs. He is currently living abroad, so the police plan on arresting him as soon as he lands back in Korea.
The journalist, the same one who broke the Burning Sun story, is saying more are to come.
Although chaebols from three of the most famous conglomerates have been booked, reports claim that there are many more chaebol socialites that are involved with illegal use of drugs. The police are currently still in the midst of investigating the drug seller’s contact list, and the Burning Sun reporter personally announced on his Instagram that there are more names that will slowly be revealed.
“I met up with my seniors from other media companies to share what I know and receive help. SK and Hyundai’s kids were revealed after Hwang Hana’s news broke. These kids are slowly being removed. I know a couple more chaebols involved but I’m sure they will be revealed through the police investigations. All I have left is to type up a title. I’m sure it’ll take a long time…”
If the family members of chaebols are going to be involved in this, then things could potentially get extremely messy depending on how badly said chaebols want to protect them.
