Hip-hop artist gets suspended jail term for drug abuse

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- A local court on Friday overturned the acquittal of a 32-year-old hip-hop artist accused of using and selling drugs.

The appeals department of the Seoul Eastern District Court sentenced Kwon Ki-bum, better known by his stage name Bumkey, to eight months in prison with a two year suspension.

Bumkey was indicted in December 2014 on charges of selling 6 grams of meth and 10 MDMA pills, better known as "ecstasy," to two of his acquaintances from August 2012 to September 2013. He was also accused of taking ecstasy twice during the period.

A lower court found Bumkey not guilty due to a lack of evidence, but the appeals department said the evidence provided by the prosecutors was enough to prove his conviction.

"Kwon repeated the crime though he once received a suspended prison term for taking ecstasy," the court said. "(We) took into consideration that the amount was not significant."

Bumkey could not be immediately reached for comment.

scaaet@yna.co.kr
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