PSY Under Police Investigation in Seoul Over Alleged Illegal Drug Prescriptions
South Korean entertainer PSY is being investigated by police for suspected breaches of medical law after allegedly receiving prescription psychotropic drugs through third parties without attending hospital in person, Yonhap reports.
Officials confirmed on Thursday, August 28, that the Seoul Seodaemun Police Station is examining both PSY, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, and a university hospital doctor. They have been booked on charges of arranging for PSY’s manager and others to collect the medicines on his behalf without face-to-face consultations.
Investigators believe that from 2022 until recently PSY obtained prescriptions for the psychotropic drugs Xanax and Stilnox from a Seoul university hospital without attending in person. Police say they identified suspicious practices following a tip-off and have since raided the hospital to obtain medical records. Current law prohibits proxy prescriptions.
Xanax and Stilnox are commonly used to treat anxiety, depression and sleep disorders but carry a high risk of dependence. For this reason, the law requires direct examinations and prescriptions.
The doctor involved has reportedly denied wrongdoing, stating that Psy had been treated remotely.
In response, Psy’s agency P Nation released a statement acknowledging mistakes.
«Psy has been diagnosed with a chronic sleep disorder and is taking medication as prescribed by his doctor,» the agency said. «Although third parties collected the drugs on some occasions, there was no proxy prescription.»
