Comedian Lee Kyung-kyu after police investigation. Yonhap News. 

The prosecution has referred comedian Lee Kyung-kyu (65), who was booked on charges of drunk driving under the influence of medication, to a summary trial.

According to legal circles on the 22nd, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Criminal Investigation Division 5 (Chief Prosecutor Kim Ji-young) summarily indicted Lee on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act with a fine of 2 million won the previous day.

A summary indictment is a request to the court for a summary order, imposing a fine or penalty without a formal trial through written review for cases with relatively minor charges.

Lee is accused of driving a vehicle after taking prescribed medication around 2 p.m. on June 8th in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu.

He was reported as a suspected theft while driving another person's car of the same make and color and tested positive for drug use in a simple reagent test.

The police later received confirmation of a positive result from the National Forensic Service (NFS), summoned Lee for questioning, and then sent him to the prosecution in July without detention.

After the police investigation, Lee apologized to reporters, admitting to the charges, and said, "I did not fully realize that I should not drive after taking medication for panic disorder."

Article 45 of the Road Traffic Act prohibits driving while unable to drive normally due to the influence of medication. Even if the medication is prescribed, driving while the ability to concentrate or cognitive function is impaired to the extent that normal driving is difficult constitutes the offense of drug-impaired driving.

Yonhap News