Yang Hyunsuk, former CEO of YG Entertainment, who was indicted on charges of threatening a whistleblower to cover up drug allegations against singer B.I, is heading to the courtroom to attend the appellate sentencing hearing held at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu in the afternoon of November 2023. Photo by Yonhap News
Yang Hyunsuk, Chief Producer of YG Entertainment, who was indicted on charges of attempting to cover up a drug investigation involving an artist under his label, stated, "While I am disappointed, I humbly accept the decision," after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction.
On the 18th, Yang, through YG, said, "A conclusion has been reached after a long legal dispute lasting 5 years and 8 months," and added, "From now on, I will devote myself to my duties with even greater caution and responsibility."
The First Division of the Supreme Court (Presiding Justice Ma Yongju) on this day finalized the previous court ruling that sentenced Yang to six months in prison, suspended for one year, for charges including coercing a meeting under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
In 2016, when trainee A was arrested on drug charges and questioned by police, A testified to the police about singer B.I's alleged drug purchase. Yang was subsequently put on trial for allegedly persuading and threatening A to prevent the investigation into B.I.
At the time, A claimed that although B.I became a target of investigation for related charges, the case was covered up due to collusion between the police and YG. A asserted that the police did not investigate B.I despite securing evidence of drug use, and that Yang was at the center of this. In June 2019, A also reported the case to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.
The charge of retaliatory intimidation for which Yang was indicted was found not guilty in both the first and second trials. However, the charge of "coercing a meeting," which the prosecution additionally brought in the appellate trial, was found guilty. After a legal dispute lasting 5 years and 8 months, the Supreme Court has now delivered its final verdict.
B.I was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for four years, in the first trial on September 2021 for drug use and purchase charges. As neither side appealed, the ruling was finalized.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
