Seoul, Nov 27 (EFE).- A ban on South Korean K-pop star G-Dragon from traveling abroad due to suspicions that he consumed drugs has been lifted after the artist tested negative in extensive testing.
The Metropolitan Police of the city of Incheon (west of Seoul) decided not to extend the ban on the Bigbang singer leaving the country, which expired at the weekend, and notified him of the decision, according to Yonhap news agency on Monday.
South Korean authorities can ban a suspect under investigation from leaving the country for a month, and this can be extended at the request of investigators.
On Oct. 25, G-Dragon, whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, was booked for alleged drug use, an offense highly punished in the Asian country, and police obtained an order prohibiting him from leaving South Korea two days later.
Last week, the 35-year-old singer tested negative in an extensive analysis of both hair and nail samples.
In 2011, Kwon had admitted to having smoked marijuana but said he was unaware of what he had consumed. Prosecutors dropped the case.
The members of Bigbang, which had success from 2007, had already been involved in scandals after former member Seungri was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021 on nine different charges, including embezzlement and prostitution mediation.
G-Dragon debuted as the leader of Bigbang in 2006 and began releasing solo work shortly after, becoming one of the biggest names in K-pop.
Meanwhile, Seoul police have asked the Ministry of Justice to extend a foreign travel ban on the actor Lee Sun-kyun, one of the stars of the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” for alleged consumption of drugs.
Lee is accused of having consumed marijuana and other illegal drugs on several occasions this year in the South Korean capital, even though he has tested negative in the two rounds of testing he has undergone. EFE
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