Hair Analysis Confirms Drug Use for Man in 'Suwon Zombie Drug' Video

The man in his 30s, who sparked controversy after a video showed him standing with a hunched back as if he had taken so-called "zombie drugs," has tested positive in a detailed hair analysis by the National Forensic Service, it has been confirmed.

The man was previously arrested after testing positive on a preliminary drug screening, but was released following negative results from urine tests and other evaluations. However, with past drug use indications uncovered through the latest hair test and a forensic examination of his mobile phone, police plan to review the possibility of requesting an arrest warrant.

The Gyeonggi Suwon Gwonseon Police Station announced today (August 18) that the National Forensic Service's detailed analysis of hair samples from a man in his 30s, identified as A, who had been emergency-arrested and then released for violating the Narcotics Control Act, returned a positive result for drugs last month.

Police also searched A's residence and conducted a forensic analysis of his mobile phone, uncovering circumstantial evidence suggesting drug use.

Previously in June, a video rapidly spread across social media showing A standing for a long time with a hunched back and his arms dangling near a bus stop in an apartment complex in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, raising suspicions of drug use.

Police tracked down A, the person in the video, on the 23rd of the same month and conducted a preliminary drug test. Upon getting a positive reaction for methamphetamine, they emergency-arrested him.

However, after a primary preliminary examination by the National Forensic Service the next day yielded a negative result, police released him and continued their investigation without detention.

Although a subsequent detailed urine analysis by the National Forensic Service also came back negative, police supplemental investigations ultimately caught up with his past drug use.

The conflicting test results are due to differences in testing methods.

While a urine test only checks for drug use within the past week or so, a hair test can trace past drug use over several months up to a maximum of about a year, depending on the length of the hair.

Police plan to summon A as a suspect on the 20th to further investigate the circumstances before deciding whether to apply for an arrest warrant.

A police official said, "Hair analysis can confirm drug use from a relatively distant time, which can sometimes lead to different results compared to preliminary or urine tests," adding, "We are continuing our investigation to ascertain the exact details of the case."

(Photo: Capture from internet community, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.