A grandson of the late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung was apprehended Sunday at the Incheon Airport on suspicions of using liquid marijuana, even as another SK Group family member is under probe for using it.
(Yonhap)
The 28-year-old -- eldest son of Chung Mong-il, the eighth son of Hyundai founder and CEO of Hyundai M Partners -- was taken into custody at around 9:30 a.m. upon his arrival from the United Kingdom, according to the police.
Chung is suspected of purchasing a liquid form of marijuana from a man, only identified by his surname Lee, and smoked it on three occasions at his home in Seoul last year. They reportedly knew each other from university years in the US.
He also faces charges that he imbibed marijuana with another third-generation scion, the 31-year-old grandson of the late founder of SK Group Chey Jong-gun. The junior Chey was arrested earlier this month.
Lee’s trial is set to begin on April 19 at the Incheon District Court.
Chung and Chey are suspected of having purchased the liquid marijuana from Lee via a parcel service and contacted him using the encrypted mobile messaging app Telegram
The police are mulling on seeking an arrest warrant for Chung. His sister, 27, was also fined 3 million won ($2,640) for imbibing marijuana in 2012.
Earlier, another Chaebol scion Hwang Ha-na, who is the granddaughter of Namyang Dairy founder Hong Doo-young, was arrested on suspicions that she used methamphetamine in 2015.
(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)
