G-Dragon, Lee Sun-kyun banned from leaving country amid drug probes

Police have imposed overseas travel bans on actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning movie “Parasite” and BIGBANG member G-Dragon in connection with their ongoing drug investigations, officials said Friday.

The two big-name stars have recently been booked for investigation on charges of using illegal drugs.

The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency said it has banned both from leaving the country after confirming that they are staying in South Korea.

Police plan to conduct drug tests on Lee and G-Dragon in the coming days to determine whether they used illegal drugs and, if they did, how often and what kinds.

Lee is suspected of having used marijuana and other illegal drugs at the home of a hostess working at a high-end bar in Seoul’s Gangnam district on multiple occasions since early this year.

Police have also requested a digital forensic analysis of the hostess’ mobile phone as part of the investigation.

The police learned about Lee’s suspected drug use during an investigation prompted by a tipoff about illegal drug circulation in Gangnam nightclubs last month and have since booked eight people, including Lee, the hostess, a third-generation scion of a conglomerate family and a would-be entertainer.

G-Dragon, whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, has been separately booked for investigation on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act.

Releasing a statement earlier in the day, Kwon said “I’ve never used drugs,” and pledged cooperation with the police investigation.

In 2011, he was probed for drug suspicions after he admitted to smoking marijuana but said he was unaware of the substance he had consumed. Prosecutors then dropped the case.