South Koreans face up to three years in prison for gambling while overseas

Prosecutors in South Korea have indicted a top cosmetics executive for gambling while traveling outside the country.

Jeong Un-ho was arrested earlier this month on charges of gambling in Asian gaming jurisdictions including Macau and the Philippines on trips organized by junket operators. On Wednesday, the 50-year-old founder of the Faceshop cosmetics firm was officially charged for his gambling exploits, during which he allegedly wagered a total of KRW 10b (US $8.5m).

Jeong isn’t the only top business exec in hot water. Last week, reports circulated that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office was preparing to charge Kim Beom-soo, chairman of telecom firm Kakao, with gambling overseas. Prosecutors reportedly received documents from the US Department of Justice indicating that Kim engaged in some high-stakes gambling on multiple occasions at casinos in Las Vegas between 2007 and 2013.

Gambling is heavily restricted in South Korea, which allows local residents to enter just one of the country’s 17 casinos. But South Korea also frowns on its citizens gambling while abroad, and those who fail to observe this rule risk being labeled a habitual overseas gambler (although there is an out for those who gamble “just for momentary pleasure”).