The arrest warrant for Yoo Ah In has been rejected by the court.
Judge Lee Min-soo, in charge of pretrial detention warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, conducted a pretrial examination (substantive warrant hearing) for Yoo Ah In on the morning of the 24th. Yoo Ah In attended the court hearing and then headed to the detention center with his hands tied.
At 11:30 p.m. in the afternoon, Judge Lee Min-soo stated, “It is difficult to conclusively determine that there is a risk of evidence destruction or escape beyond the scope of exercising the right to defense. It is also difficult to recognize the grounds and necessity for detention at this stage.” Thus, he rejected Yoo Ah In’s detention warrant.
The presiding judge added, “A considerable amount of evidence has already been secured, and while a substantial portion of the basic facts is acknowledged, there is a need to ensure the right to defense due to the potential dispute regarding marijuana smoking. Furthermore, there is a stable residence and no prior record of similar offenses.”
When asked by reporters if the police’s attempt to detain him was unreasonable, Yoo Ah In replied, “I don’t think it’s a problem for me to judge. I respect and appreciate the judgment handed down by the court.”
Regarding the cocaine allegations, Yoo Ah In stated, “It is difficult for me to speak about that fact through the media. I will continue to provide explanations and fulfill my responsibilities throughout the remaining procedures.” He firmly denied the allegations of evidence tampering, stating, “There is no such fact at all.”
Yoo Ah In is under investigation by the police on charges of administering four types of narcotics: marijuana, propofol, cocaine, and ketamine. As Yoo Ah In became a suspect in a drug case, there were setbacks in the release of three films and dramas starring him. He has since issued an apology to his SNS and attended the 2nd round of questioning which lasted 21 hours on May 16.
Source: (A)
