Actor Yoo Ah-in attends his trial for drug use allegations at the Seoul Central District Court, Tuesday. Yonhap
Actor Yoo Ah-in's physician explained the use of medical sedatives during Yoo's sixth trial on Tuesday at the Seoul Central District Court, which addressed charges against Yoo for violations of the Narcotics Control Act.
Yoo's physician, an anesthesiology and pain medicine specialist referred to as "A," testified as a witness.
Previously, Yoo said his medical use of narcotics was due to depression and a panic disorder.
The physician confirmed that Yoo underwent a stellate ganglion block procedure, saying, "The procedure itself lasts only 10 seconds, but the resulting changes can be overwhelming. Yoo Ah-in felt intense fear and pain, necessitating sedation."
Given that the needle insertion point was the neck, the associated fear and pain warranted the use of anesthesia, the doctor said.
The doctor also addressed allegations of prescribing medication to the actor under his father's name without meeting the actor's family due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time, saying, "It was a time when temporary measures allowed medication deliveries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I did not thoroughly consider the implications of sending prescriptions via quick delivery services." However, he denied administering sedatives for non-procedural purposes.
Yoo faces allegations of habitual use of propofol and other substances under the guise of using them for cosmetic procedures from September 2020 to March 2022, totaling 181 instances.
The investigation also revealed his use of midazolam (a sedative), ketamine (an anesthetic) and remimazolam (an anesthetic).
Yoo admitted to some charges, such as marijuana use and propofol administration, but denied encouraging marijuana use.
Yoo maintains that his long-term struggles with depression, a panic disorder and sleep disorders necessitated the prescribed sedatives alongside his treatments.
Additionally, he is accused of illegally obtaining 1,100 pills of two different sleeping types under another person's name on 44 occasions.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.