[Yonhap Photo]
BIGBANG member TOP, who started his mandatory military service as a conscripted policeman in February, was tested positive for smoking marijuana during a police investigation.
The 29-year-old was found to have smoked marijuana in October last year, a few months before he joined the boot camp, police said. He was tested positive in a test for drug residues in hair and the case was sent to prosecutors for an investigation.
In a statement on Thursday, TOP's agency, YG Entertainment, apologized: "We would like to make an apology to fans. TOP has sincerely cooperated with the police investigation."
TOP is the second member from BIGBANG to be investigated for smoking marijuana. G-DRAGON was investigated by prosecutors on similar charges in 2011. Smoking or consuming marijuana is illegal in South Korea and violators could be sentenced to a fine of less than 50 million won (44,568 US dollars) or less than five years in prison.
Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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