![A homeless person stands motionless on a street in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, California, appearing to be under the influence of drugs. This photo is not directly related to the specific details of the article. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/23/news-p.v1.20260623.34161aec3ca7439f91a3f7d4b28975d7_P1.jpg)
Police have arrested a man in his 30s who appeared in a video that spread rapidly on social media and became known online as the "Suwon drug incident."
The Suwon Gwonseon Police Station said Tuesday it had arrested the man, identified only as A, on charges of violating the Act on the Control of Narcotics.
A is suspected of wandering near a bus stop outside an apartment complex in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, while under the influence of methamphetamine at around 12:30 p.m. on June 21.
A bystander who witnessed the scene filmed A standing for an extended period with his back hunched and both arms hanging limply, then posted the footage on social media on June 22.
The video spread quickly online under titles such as "Suwon fentanyl today," drawing wide attention.
Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that has become a major social problem in the United States and other countries, earning it the nickname "zombie drug."
In the US, fentanyl-related deaths number around 100,000 each year, and footage of users wandering streets in contorted postures has shocked the public.
The person who filmed the video described the scene, saying, "It gives me chills to think something like this is happening in my own neighborhood — it doesn't feel like someone else's problem."
Online reactions included concern that "drug crime has reached a dangerous level," with some questioning whether fentanyl had already spread widely within South Korea.
Although no formal report had been filed, police said they became aware of the case at around 7 a.m. Tuesday — the day after the video went viral — and launched an investigation.
While reviewing CCTV footage near the scene, officers identified A as matching the description of the person in the video. A field drug test returned a positive result for methamphetamine, and police arrested him at around 10:30 a.m.
No drugs were found on A at the time of his arrest.
A denied the charges during police questioning.
Police said they have not ruled out the possibility that A used other drugs in addition to methamphetamine and are continuing their investigation.
Current field drug tests can detect major substances including methamphetamine, but some newer and synthetic drugs — including fentanyl — are difficult to identify with such tests.
Police have requested a detailed forensic analysis from the National Forensic Service to determine whether A had taken any additional substances.
A drug investigation expert told Yonhap News Agency by phone that the object A appears to be holding in the video — resembling an e-cigarette — could suggest the use of etomidate, a general anesthetic, or liquid synthetic cannabis. "What we see in the video looks somewhat different from the behavior of fentanyl users who turn zombie-like," the expert said.
A police official told Yonhap that while some people have raised concerns about fentanyl, "fentanyl has not been confirmed in this case." The official added that details could not be disclosed as the investigation is ongoing.
Police said they will decide whether to seek an arrest warrant for A after completing their questioning.
Police noted that the only confirmed finding so far is the positive methamphetamine test and said claims circulating online about fentanyl use should be approached with caution. A clearer picture is expected after the National Forensic Service completes its analysis.
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