Doctor sentenced to 16 years for drugging and sexually assaulting patients

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a 16-year prison sentence for a doctor who illegally prescribed drugs and sexually assaulted multiple women while they were under anesthesia.

The court confirmed a lower court’s ruling that sentenced the doctor, surnamed Yeom, to 16 years in prison and a 5 million won ($3,500) fine for violating the Narcotics Control Act and committing rape by intoxication.

Yeom’s illegal prescription of narcotics came to light during an investigation into an August 2023 car accident involving a Rolls-Royce driver, Shin. Yeom was found to have prescribed and administered powerful sedatives — including propofol, midazolam and ketamine — beyond medical necessity to Shin, who later killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence of the drugs.

His medical license suspended during the investigation, but he continued to practice medicine until early October 2023, administering propofol and performing other procedures.

Yeom was later also charged with sexually assaulting about 10 unconscious female patients and illegally taking hundreds of photos of their bodies between January 2022 and October 2023.

“The offense caused serious social harm and warrants a strict punishment. A heavy sentence is unavoidable,” the lower court said in its ruling. The Supreme Court found no grounds to overturn the verdict.

Yeom was initially sentenced to 17 years in prison and a 5 million won fine in June 2024. At the time, the court cited his “severe moral hazard” as a medical professional. The sentence was later reduced to 16 years in January after he admitted to the crimes and paid 76 million won in compensation.

Meanwhile, Shin, the man who killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence of the drugs prescribed by Yeom, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. That sentence was later reduced to 10 years on appeal.