​Court dismisses arrest warrant for actor Yoo Ah-in on charges over alleged drug use

[Yonhap News Photo]

SEOUL -- A South Korean court has dismissed an arrest warrant for Yoo Ah-in, a promising actor who was accused of alleged drug use. Prosecutors have requested the warrant on suspicion of five different drugs including propofol, a powerful anesthetic, and zolpidem, a sedative primarily used for the treatment of insomnia.
 
"It is difficult to conclude that there is an apprehension the suspect could destroy evidence or fleeing away beyond the scope of his right to defend himself," a Lee Min Soo, a senior judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, said on May 24. Lee also mentioned that the court has already secured various evidence related to Yoo’s crime and the actor is reflecting on himself smoking marijuana. However, the judge said it is debatable whether Yoo has used cocaine.  
 
The South Korean actor has earlier told reporters that he admits most of his allegations. However, Yoo denied that he has tried to help accomplices escape. Om May 19, a police agency in Seoul requested for an arrest warrant for Yoo and his accomplice, citing concerns over the destruction of evidence and escape.
 
According to the police, Yoo is accused of taking five different drugs -- marijuana, propofol, cocaine, ketamine, and zolpidem. The actor has been under investigation after a state health watchdog reported that he has been consistently using propofol since 2021. The police earlier claimed that Yoo has administered propofol 73 times from January 2021 to December 2021.
 
Yoo has appeared in various successful films including "Veteran," a 2015 film where he garnered explosive popularity for playing a wealthy entrepreneur's son who frequently consumes drugs. He also played ill-fated Crown Prince Sado (1735~1762) who is known to have starved to death by his father King Yeongjo (1694~1776), in a historical film "The Throne."
 
Amid the police investigation, two series starring Yoo -- "The Match" and "Goodbye Earth" -- were postponed. The two shows were set to release in 2023. The Match portrays a match between a Go master, played by actor Lee Byung-hun, and his student, played by Yoo. Goodbye Earth is about people going through various struggles just before the apocalypse.