Founder and former YG Entertainment head Yang Hyun-suk was questioned by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for nearly 24-hours over suspicions including habitual gambling overseas, making illegal foreign transactions, and facilitating sex services for potential investors.
As per the Korea Joongang Daily, Yang arrived the Intellectual Crime Investigation Team headquarters on Thursday (Aug. 29) morning, saying that he would “submit to the questioning to the best of my ability.” Yonhap later reported that Yang arrived home Friday morning after about 23 hours of questioning. “I answered police questions faithfully and gave a detailed explanation,” Yang told reporters outside the police station.
Reuters reports that police would not comment on an ongoing investigation.
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The investigation into Yang, a former member of Seo Taiji & Boys and the founder of YG Entertainment, which has been behind many K-pop acts including BIGBANG, 2NE1, and BLACKPINK, comes amid months of investigations into illicit activities, allegedly abetted by legal and law enforcement entities, among Seoul’s club and entertainment scenes, including a club known as “Burning Sun,” which former BIGBANG member Seungri (Lee Seung-hyun) was co-owner of. Both Seungri and Yang have been alleged of a variety of illegalities along with the recent gambling claims, including facilitating sexual services for foreign investors. Both have previously distanced themselves from YG — though Yang is still the primary shareholder — and Seungri has since left BIGBANG.
Both men most recently were booked by Seoul police on illegal gambling-related charges, with allegations that they have habitually gambled in Las Vegas — gambling is illegal in South Korea — and illegally exchanged foreign currency. Yonhap reports that Yang and Seungri spent 1 billion KRW, or around $826,000, and KRW2 billion, or $1.65 million, on gambling, respectively.
Both men are currently banned from traveling outside of the country, and Yang’s questioning was preceded earlier this week by that of Seungri, who reportedly underwent about 12 hours of questioning and admitted to some suspicions of gambling.
YG Entertainment did not respond to a request to comment on Yang’s questioning.
This article has been updated with additional details.