Gangnam doctor under investigation for illegal propofol administration

Police have launched an investigation into a prominent doctor in Seoul’s Gangnam district for allegedly administering propofol and other controlled substances to patients without properly documenting it in charts.

Seongdong Police Station said Tuesday it is investigating a man in his 50s on suspicion of violating multiple laws, including the Narcotics Control Act and the Medical Service Act. The doctor is accused of administering propofol and other narcotics to about 30 patients over hundreds of sessions from February 2023 to April 2024 at his skin and plastic surgery clinic.

Police also booked two staff members from the doctor’s clinic on charges of falsely reporting drug records to the Narcotics Integrated Management System, the national database that tracks prescriptions of controlled substances.

In a related development, the doctor’s wife was found dead in their home in April from an apparent propofol overdose, according to police. Authorities are also investigating the doctor for allegedly interfering with her autopsy by altering her body's position before the examination.

The doctor is said to have operated a skin and plastic surgery clinic in Cheongdam-dong for nearly 20 years, but has closed that location and is treating patients at another clinic in Gangnam.