Singer Psy. [Herald POP]
Singer Psy. [Herald POP]

A Seoul court has issued a summary order fining singer Psy after he was indicted on charges of obtaining prescriptions for controlled psychotropic drugs through remote consultations and having his manager and others pick them up on his behalf.

Judge Choi Ye-jin of the Seoul Western District Court issued the summary order Tuesday, fining Psy 5 million won ($3,610) on charges of violating the Medical Service Act. A summary order is a procedure used in relatively minor cases in which a court imposes a fine or penalty through a written review without a full trial.

If Psy contests the order, he may request a formal trial within seven days of being notified of the ruling.

Psy is accused of obtaining prescriptions for Xanax and Stilnox — drugs used as sleep aids — from a university hospital in Seoul without in-person consultations from 2022 through last year, and having his manager and other third parties collect the medications on his behalf.

Xanax and Stilnox are psychotropic drugs used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. Current medical law prohibits remote prescriptions for psychotropic substances and bars anyone other than the patient or legally designated family members from collecting such prescriptions.

Under the Medical Service Act, only a doctor who has directly examined a patient may issue a prescription, and only the examined patient may collect it. Violations carry a sentence of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.

Exceptions exist for patients who are unconscious or unable to move, but Psy did not fall into either category.

Meanwhile, police referred Psy, his manager, a university hospital doctor suspected of issuing the prescriptions and three others — six people in total — to prosecutors in May. Prosecutors indicted Psy and the hospital doctor by summary procedure in July and suspended indictment for the manager and three other medical staff members.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com