"Suwon Zombie" Caught Again in Two Months Due to Hair Test After Release

[Anchor]

A video captured in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, two months ago took social media by storm. A man was seen staggering as if high on drugs, earning him the nickname "Suwon Zombie." The man, who was emergency-arrested at the time, was released after testing negative for drugs, but he was recently caught through a hair analysis.

Reporter An Huijae has the details.

[Reporter]

A man lets his arms hang down and staggers, then stands frozen with his body leaning to one side.

This is the so-called "Suwon Zombie" video that spread via social media last June.

It closely resembled the behavior of severe synthetic opioid fentanyl addicts in the United States, sparking major controversy because it took place near a downtown apartment complex and an elementary school.

[Nearby Resident (Last June): It's a place where many students walk back and forth, and there's a bus stop right in front. Just having a person like that here is terrifying.]

However, Mr. A, who was emergency-arrested by the police following a chase, was released just a day later.

He was released because a preliminary urine test by the National Forensic Service concluded that he was negative for methamphetamine, despite testing positive on a quick drug screening kit. Now, two months later, Mr. A's case has surfaced again.

This is because a drug-positive reaction was detected in Mr. A's hair, which the police had sent to the National Forensic Service for detailed appraisal to reinforce their investigation.

Unlike urine tests, which have a window of only about a week to detect drug use, hair analysis can trace usage for up to a year.

Having cornered him, the police recently conducted a search and seizure at Mr. A's home and of his mobile phone, securing relevant physical evidence.

However, the police stated that no evidence of fentanyl use has been found yet, and they are currently investigating psychotropic medications that Mr. A was prescribed in the past.

Mr. A has consistently denied the charges in previous questioning, and the police plan to summon him again the day after tomorrow (the 20th) for further questioning before deciding whether to apply for an arrest warrant.

(Video editing: Jung Yong-hwa, Design: Hwang Se-yeon, Footage provided by: Threads)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.