I am a first-time drug offender and ate it without knowing it was a drug. Will I be punished?

Yes, you can be punished.

As in your case, there are actually many cases where people are unintentionally involved in drug cases by drinking beverages handed to them by strangers at clubs or bars.

However, to claim you did not know it was a drug, you must have circumstances or evidence proving you truly had no intent.

Simply claiming ignorance is unlikely to provide immunity, and investigative agencies will closely investigate the circumstances and details of consumption.

Also, being a first-time drug offender does not exempt you from criminal punishment.

Being a first-time drug offender is just one of several mitigating factors, and is merely a reference for determining punishment levels such as suspension of indictment, suspended sentence, or fine sentence.

If you are involved in a drug case and face punishment, the punishment level varies depending on the type of drug, and you may face up to 10 years of imprisonment or a fine of up to 100 million won.

Therefore, to lower the punishment level, it is very important to receive assistance from a specialized attorney to organize the facts and systematically submit mitigating factors such as first-time drug offender status.

If you have already been caught by police, consistently asserting from the investigation stage that you are a 'victim' who came into contact with drugs without intent can be an important strategy.

For details, please consult with a specialized attorney experienced in drug cases.