Elite student club leader in South Korea convicted of drug distribution

The man accused of distributing drugs to members of an elite inter-university student club has received a final 18-month prison sentence from the Supreme Court in South Korea.



The defendant, a 32-year-old man surnamed Yeom, was convicted of purchasing and using several types of illegal drugs, including LSD, ketamine, ecstasy and methamphetamine, and distributing drugs among club members for about a year from late 2022, local media reported on June 21.



Yeom was arrested at a hotel in Seoul in December 2023 and indicted while in custody in July 2024. The Supreme Court convicted him in late 2024 of blackmailing a former girlfriend, and he is currently on trial on suspicion of attempting to smuggle drugs into a detention facility.



Investigators uncovered a group of drug users involving students and graduates from 13 prestigious universities, including Seoul National University, Yonsei University and Korea University, as well as a medical doctor.



The authorities said the group belonged to one of the country's largest inter-university student clubs, with hundreds of members across Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi province. Members allegedly used drugs together at hotels, amusement parks and other locations.