The heir apparent to South Korean food and entertainment conglomerate CJ was released Thursday after receiving a suspended sentence on drug charges.

The Incheon District Court handed Lee Sun-ho, the eldest son of group chairman Lee Jay-hyun, a three-year prison term, suspended for four years. The court did not sentence Lee to probation or drug treatment.

"Drugs, including marijuana, pose severe harm to society due to their addictive and hallucinogenic nature," Judge Song Hyun-kyung said. "However, the defendant does not have a criminal history and the smuggled marijuana was confiscated ... the fact (that the defendant) regrets the wrongdoing was also considered."

The 28-year-old was caught in early September attempting to smuggle liquid marijuana cartridges at Incheon International Airport. He also tested positive for the banned substance.

Twenty marijuana cartridges were found in his luggage from the United States. Customs officials also found 37 marijuana candies, 130 marijuana jellies and three drug smoking tools in a separate backpack.

Investigators at the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office also found that Lee used cannabis vaping cartridges six times in Los Angeles over a five-month period earlier this year.

Since 2013, Lee has been working at CJ Cheiljedang Corp., a CJ Group affiliate that produces food and health products.

Last month, the Incheon court also handed suspended jail terms to SK and Hyundai scions charged with marijuana use. (Yonhap)