According to media outlet 'Dispatch' on December 28 KST, the Drug Crime Investigation Division of the Incheon Metropolitan Police failed to fulfill the role of a law enforcement institution once again with the later actor Lee Sun Gyun, in much the same ways that musician G-Dragon was "roped into" the same case earlier this year. 

Despite the shocking passing of the renowned actor in his own vehicle on December 27 KST, the Incheon police maintain the stance that "there were no issues in the investigation process." 

'Dispatch' disagreed, claiming instead that the investigation was flawed from the beginning. Below is a summary of the 'Dispatch' report, which you can find here.

'Dispatch': In October of this year, while investigating an illegal drug case out of an adult entertainment establishment frequented by social elites in Gangnam, the Drug Crime Investigation Division of the Incheon Metropolitan Police came across a celebrity name known by most Koreans.

Based on information obtained from 'Kim' (29), a manager of the entertainment establishment, the Incheon police wrote up the following reports regarding Lee Sun Gyun on October 18 KST: 

"On several occasions in 2023, Lee Sun Gyun administered illegal drugs including marijuana at the home of 'Kim' in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul." 

"Seven individuals including 'Kim' administered the illegal drug philopon at an Gangnam establishment on June 20, 2023 at around 17 o'clock."

Initial media outlet reports surrounding this case went live on October 19, 2023, only a day after the police had finished writing up a report of the investigation from the inside. On this day, the Gyeonggi Shinmun published an exclusive report with the headline, "Top star 'L' internally investigated for illegal drugs." 

'Dispatch': Lee Sun Gyun became the sacrificial lamb for both 'Kim', who needed to "sell someone out" in order to obtain leniency, and the Incheon police, who needed to "perform" for the higher-ups. 

In fact, according to the police report shown above, 'Kim's records show six previous convictions related to illegal drug usage. This time for sure, 'Kim' was prison bound. After blackmailing Lee Sun Gyun and receiving 300 million KRW (~ $230,000 USD), 'Kim' gave Lee Sun Gyun's name to the police as her "contribution" to the ongoing investigation. 

Meanwhile, on November 24 KST, Lee Sun Gyun's second hair follicle tests returned negative. Netizens heavily rebuked the police for forcing multiple drug tests on both Lee Sun Gyun and G-Dragon without "reliable evidence". Later that evening, KBS News obtained an exclusive recording of a phone call between Lee Sun Gyun and 'Kim', diverting attention from the negative drug test results. 

A month later on December 26 KST, JTBC issued the following line in an update to the Lee Sun Gyun case, citing a statement obtained from the police: 

"Lee Sun Gyun claimed that he administered a substance by sniffing it with a straw, but he was led to believe that it was sleep medication."

The information had been passed on to news outlets around the exact time frame that Lee Sun Gyun asked to have a lie detector test, in order to verify the information given by 'Kim'.

While 'Kim' had searched for ways to "sell someone out", the Incheon police also had concerns of their own. In order to report proof of "performance" to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, currently supporting a nationwide campaign known as the "War against Drugs", the Incheon police were eager to "collude" with the press to divert national attention to a progressing, high profile illegal drug case. Particularly, when Lee Sun Gyun's drug tests repeatedly returned "negative", the Incheon police resorted to leaking details about Lee Sun Gyun's private life to the media in an attempt to "save face". 

'Dispatch': "Can the police continue to remain innocent in Lee Sun Gyun's death?"