[Sportschosun Jo Min-jung] Hwang Ha-na, a former influencer, was released after receiving a fine in her first trial, about eight months after she was detained on drug-related charges.
Judge Park Jun-seop of the Criminal Division 3 at the Anyang Branch of Suwon District Court sentenced Hwang Ha-na, who had been indicted on charges including violations of the Narcotics Control Act, to a fine of 40 million won on the 9th and ordered the forfeiture of 20,000 won. The court acquitted her of the prosecution's charges that she directly used drugs and induced others to do so.
The court explained, "Based on the evidence submitted and the statements of those involved, it is difficult to conclude that the charges have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt." It added, "The accounts of acquaintances who were at the scene also conflict with one another, and the objective evidence is insufficient to support the charges."
However, the court found her guilty of leaving the country after the investigation began. It said her departure was more likely intended to avoid the social attention and psychological pressure she was facing at the time than to evade the investigation. The court also said it took into account, when determining the sentence, that she handed methamphetamine to an acquaintance but did not use the remaining drugs again.
She was reported to have burst into tears, covering her face, immediately after the ruling was announced.
Hwang Ha-na was brought to trial in 2023 on charges including encouraging acquaintances to use methamphetamine and injecting it with a syringe at an apartment in Gangnam, Seoul. After police began investigating her alleged accomplices, she left for Thailand and later stayed in the Kingdom of Cambodia without returning, even after learning that her passport had been invalidated and that Interpol had issued a red notice. She was later arrested at a local airport after expressing her intention to return to Korea and was repatriated. Throughout the trial, Hwang Ha-na denied the allegations, saying, "I was at the scene, but I did not use drugs or encourage anyone to do so."
Meanwhile, Hwang Ha-na has a prior record of punishment in a separate drug case. In 2019, she received a suspended prison sentence for methamphetamine use, and in 2022, she was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison after being found guilty of using drugs again during the probation period. Prosecutors plan to decide whether to appeal after reviewing the written judgment.
Jo Min-jung mj.cho@sportschosun.com
