SEOUL, Dec. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – K-pop star G-Dragon will donate 300 million won (US$230,000) to set up a foundation to fight against drug abuse, which is a growing concern in South Korea, once considered a country relatively free of drugs, his agency said Monday.
G-Dragon named the anti-drug foundation “JusPeace Foundation,” a word that combines “justice” and “peace,” according to his agency Galaxy Corp.
The donation comes as the singer-songwriter was cleared of drug allegations this month.
Through his agency, G-Dragon said last week that there are nearly 20,000 people convicted of drug crimes each year, and among them, the number of teens is accelerating dramatically.
The artist said he learned that fewer than 500 people have access to proper treatments in medical institutions and the dismal situation made him believe it’s time to act on the matter as a responsible member of society.
The foundation’s first project is to fight against drug abuse and help deal with teenage drug addiction, the agency said.
In October, suspicions were raised that G-Dragon abused drugs at a bar in Seoul last December. Police launched an investigation into the allegations but were unable to corroborate them. They closed the case earlier this month.
(Yonhap)