Fallen K-Pop Idol Gets Suspended Sentence

Singer Park Yoo-chun talks to reporters as he leaves a remand prison in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. /Newsis

Advertisement

Fallen K-pop idol Park Yoo-chun has managed to avoid jail in a drug scandal.

The Suwon District Court on Tuesday gave Park a two year-suspended sentence for taking methamphetamine and fined him W1.4 million (US$1=W1,161).

"Drug-related crimes should be harshly punished due to their harmful effects on individuals and society", the court said in the ruling.

In a tearful statement afterwards Park said he feels "sorry for his fans" and promised to "reflect on my past wrongdoings and serve society faithfully".

Park denied the charges when he was first accused in April by an ex-girlfriend, dairy heiress Hwang Ha-na, but changed his tune when a drug test came back positive.

Park and Hwang split up last year but apparently got back for some more meth sessions early this year.