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Famous South Korean singer Wheesung's original suspended sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal. According to a report in Soompi, the appellate court upheld the verdict on charges of habitual propofol use.
The Daegu District Court of Criminal Appeals on October 13 dismissed the prosecution's appeal to the court's original ruling. At the appeal trial, the prosecution said that the sentence received by Wheesung was too light. They felt that an appropriate punishment would be to punish the star with a sentence of three years in prison.
They also said that an additional fine of 60.5 million won (approximately $50,725) needed to be collected from the accused. They argued, "It was wrong of him to commit such a crime when he has a profession that can greatly influence the general public.”
What was the original sentence received by Wheesung on charges of violating the Act on the Control of Narcotics?
The sentence that Wheesung had initially received was a year in prison suspended for two years, 40 hours of community service, and 40 hours of a drug treatment course. But Wheesung's sentence now remains unchanged, and he will serve two years on probation. If the singer were to violate the rules of the probation, he would receive a prison sentence.
The appellate court said at the hearing:
"Due to the nature of his job, the defendant felt grave burden and pressure about his every action being a potential target of the public’s criticism. We have taken into consideration the fact that he appears to have grown addicted to propofol during the process of overcoming his chronic insomnia and depression, that he is belatedly reflecting and repenting on his mistake, and that he is diligently receiving treatment and having a low possibility of a relapse.”
Wheesung's final statement at the hearing
Wheesung, in his closing statement, said on October 8, "I am very ashamed of myself and feel regretful. After this incident, I have mustered up great willpower for the sake of my treatment of various psychological disorders including insomnia, panic disorder, and depression, which I have suffered from my entire life. As a result of receiving treatment for a year and a few months, I have gotten much better.”
Wheesung was charged for purchasing 670 ml of propofol for 10 million won (approximately $8,380) and using it in 2019. He was suspected of purchasing an additional 3910 ml of propofol worth 60.5 million won on different occasions throughout the year.
