BI and YG Entertainment to be investigated by police task force team following drug scandal
The CEO of YG Entertainment (YGE) Yang Hyun-suk and his brother Yang Min-suk stepped down from their positions at the entertainment company in the face of multiple drug and prostitution scandals, the latest being that of iKON rapper BI. Now, following claims by the lawyer of the police informant (reportedly former YGE trainee Hwan Seo-hee) that Hyun-suk tried to influence her testimony back in 2016, a special investigation team has been formed by the police.
According to Allkpop, Director Na Won Oh of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Station said, "We've formed an exclusive team to investigate suspicions raised from B.I.'s (Kim Han-bin) attempt to purchase and allegedly use drugs. It will include 16 members from the drug investigation unit and the legal support team."
The investigation will also look into Han Seo-hee's lawyer Bang Jung Hyun's claims that her testimony and the chat screenshots that she had submitted as proof in 2016 were tampered with. Won-oh added, "We believe Han Seo-hee will do her best to cooperate with the investigation as she's shown her determination as the informant. If the situation changes and we need to investigate more people, more people will be added to the team. We'll do our best to resolve all the suspicions."
He also added, "When looking at the investigation report and the informant's testimony, we're unable to determine if the truth was hidden. We regret that B.I. wasn't called in for questioning and investigated thoroughly. We'll carry out the investigation with the possibility of the suspicions regarding B.I.'s drug purchase and use, the possible destruction of evidence, and the willful refusal of duty by the police officer who was in charge."
The identity of the informant, which was revealed in Korean media reports, has also been a concern among authorities as any police informant's personal information should not be revealed according to the law. Anyone who fails to comply with the law can be jailed for 5 years in prison or pay a 50 million Won ($42,000 USD) fine.
