Asian Tech Press (Oct 26) -- Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong has been fined 70 million won ($60,000) for illegal use of sedative.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Lee Jae-yong, the head of Samsung Group, to a fine of 70 million won (about $60,000) in the preliminary ruling for alleged misuse of propofol, an anesthetic medication, Yonhap reported Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Lee admitted to abusing sedatives, and he was alleged to have illegally taken propofol more than 40 times at a plastic surgery clinic in Seoul from January 2015 to May 2020.

Propofol is a sedative commonly used for some plastic surgery and dermatological treatments. South Korea defined it as a psychotropic drug in 2011, stipulating that it can only be used for special medical treatment. And it is suspected to be illegal to inject propofol for other reasons.

(US$1 = KRW1,165.419)