{
  "id": 2060976,
  "title": "A total of 32 people were arrested in connection with the distribution of etomidate, an anesthetic known as the \"second propofol,\" which was disguised as e-cigarettes and sold on the black market.\n\nThe National Police Agency announced on the 13th that it had cracked a case involving the sale of etomidate, a controlled substance used as an anesthetic, through an online community.\n\nThe investigation began in June of last year, after police received a tip that etomidate was being sold on an online community.\n\nThe police found that a total of 1,600 bottles of etomidate, worth 800 million won, had been sold through an online community and a total of 32 people were arrested, including those who manufactured and sold the substance.\n\nThe police also seized 3,000 bottles of etomidate, worth 1.5 billion won, which were being stored for sale.\n\nEtomidate is a controlled substance that is used as an anesthetic and is known to have similar effects to propofol, which has been at the center of a recent medical malpractice case.\n\nThe Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has designated etomidate as a controlled substance, and its use without a doctor's prescription is prohibited.\n\nThe police said that the suspects manufactured etomidate in a factory in China and smuggled it into the country, where it was sold through an online community.\n\nThe police also said that some of the suspects had used the etomidate for personal use, while others had sold it to others.\n\nThe police are continuing to investigate the case and are working to identify additional suspects.\n\nThe National Police Agency said that it will continue to crack down on the distribution of controlled substances, and that it will work to prevent the misuse of such substances.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/2-32",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-20T00:58:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hankyoreh",
    "slug": "hankyoreh",
    "url": "https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/1273769.html"
  },
  "original_language": "ko",
  "account": null,
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}