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| Lee Sun-ho |
The request came after Lee voluntarily appeared at Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, Wednesday evening, and requested his own arrest.
Prosecutors had initially booked him without physical detention and sent him home, leading to accusations that he had received favorable treatment as the eldest son of CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun.
According to prosecutors, he took a taxi to the office alone, without notifying his lawyer or company officials.
Lee told them that it was heartbreaking to see people around him suffer due to his wrongdoing and that he wanted to be arrested as soon as possible if it was legally plausible.
He also said he now feels "lighthearted," according to the prosecution.
While the prosecution requested the Incheon District Court to issue an arrest warrant and the court is scheduled to review whether to accept the request soon, Lee said he would not attend the review session, meaning he will not appeal the arrest. Lee said he would cooperate with the investigation and take responsibility for his crimes by taking any punishment meted out, according to CJ.
"Lee said he apologizes for causing trouble to CJ workers and disappointing many people by his wrongdoing," CJ said in a statement.
The heir-apparent was caught attempting to smuggle liquid marijuana and other products containing the illegal drug into Korea at Incheon International Airport, Sunday. Customs officers found dozens of e-cigarette cartridges filled with highly concentrated liquid marijuana in his luggage and marijuana-infused candies and jellies in his backpack.
He also tested positive in a drug test.
However, prosecutors sent him home after initial questioning at the airport, and another session at the prosecutors' office, Tuesday, citing his lack of a criminal record and voluntary admission of the crimes.
This raised criticism over fairness, compared to the comparatively harsh treatment of other chaebol scions who were caught earlier this year for using the same liquid marijuana that Lee was smuggling.
