Late Lee Sun Kyun's blackmailer provided information on drug use by entertainment facility manager

A woman in her 20s, who was detained on suspicion of blackmailing and defrauding the late Lee Sung Kyun of 50 million won ($5.34 million) before his death, reported to the police the drug use of the head of the female office of an entertainment facility where she usually spent time with him.

A certain Park, who is suspected of blackmailing the late Lee Sung-kyun and stealing money and goods, attends the Incheon District Court on December 28, 2023, holding a young child in her arms for questioning before being detained.

According to legal and other sources, Park, 28, who was recently detained on suspicion of extortion and other charges, reported to police last October that Kim, 29, the head of an entertainment facility office in Kangnam, Seoul, had used drugs.

Mr. Park, who had previously been sentenced to prison for fraud, first met Mr. Kim, who had six prior drug convictions, in prison, and after his release from prison, they lived on the floor above Mr. Kim's office building and became close friends.

However, last October, Mr. Park visited the office of the Incheon Police Department's Narcotics Crime Investigation Section and provided evidence, including a lock of Mr. Kim's hair, and information about the circumstances of his drug use. Based on the evidence and information provided by Mr. Park, the police arrested and detained Mr. Kim on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act in October of last year.

Mr. Kim and Mr. Park were the persons whom Ms. Lee filed a complaint against for alleged extortion around October 21 of last year. At that time, Mr. Lee complained to the prosecutor that he had been threatened by Mr. Kim, Mr. Park, and an unidentified person, and that he had been robbed of 350 million won (about $373.5 million). The police detained Park on December 28 of last year on suspicion of blackmailing Lee and defrauding him of 50 million won, and are continuing to investigate the extortion case against Kim and Park.

A police official clarified, "Since this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot disclose the allegations against Mr. Kim and Mr. Park, their motives for the crime, or their relationship with each other," adding, "We also cannot tell you who the informant is.