Setback as Seungri won’t hand over phone
SEOUL: Police investigating a swiftly-widening sex scandal have faced a serious setback because Big Bang’s Seungri, 29, has refused to hand over his phone.
He is being investigated for allegedly offering prostitutes to potential investors.
Singer Jung Joon Young, who is being investigated for alleged illegal filming and distribution of unconsented sex videos, has handed over a phone that has been used for only two weeks.
According to the South Korean daily Chosun, Jung reportedly claimed, “I switched to a new phone two weeks ago.”
The lack of cooperation drew widespread criticism online. Wrote an irate user of social media: “What happened to cooperating in the investigation with honesty?” “A new phone of 2 weeks? Are you serious? He must be enjoying the situation. What a psychopath.”
On Thursday, Seungri underwent investigation at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Songno from 2pm until 6.30am yesterday. After 16 hours of questioning, Seungri left the police station to be greeted by a crowd of reporters and headed home in the early morning looking haggard.
Jung, 30, has admitted that he filmed videos of himself having sex with women without their consent and shared the footage with Seungri and other friends in a mobile chat room.
“I am very sorry to the public for causing concern,” Jung said before a swarm of reporters and photographers. Clad in a black suit with his hair tied back, the highly popular celebrity arrived at the police agency at around 10am.
Jung, best known for his part on the KBS variety show “2 Days & 1 Night,” hastily returned home on Tuesday from shooting the TV show in the United States, soon after a TV news report broke the scandal.
Later in the day, Seungri appeared at the same place at around 2pm and apologised to
I will stake our fate and honour as police and make sure every single allegation is thoroughly investigated.
the public and all those who were hurt by his sordid act.
“I will earnestly face the investigation and answer truthfully, rather than saying anything at this stage,” Seungri told reporters.
He is accused of arranging sexual services for potential investors at a nightclub in Seoul to lobby them to invest in his businesses. He was first questioned on Feb 27 as a witness and was then booked as a suspect.
The suspicion came to light last month during a police probe into another nightclub, called Burning Sun, over allegations of violence, drug use, rape and corrupt ties with district police. Seungri was its public relations director.
Seungri allegedly exchanged text messages with the cofounder of his company and one of its employees in the KakaoTalk chat room that hinted that they attempted to provide sex services for business favours.
Police also questioned the cofounder, identified by his last name Yoo, on Thursday.
Police signalled a high chance of seeking an arrest warrant for Jung after they finished questioning him, given the seriousness of his crimes and their social implications.
They also obtained Jung’s urine and hair samples with his consent in order to have them tested for narcotics, they said.
Police have raided a Gangnambased private forensic company that handles digital data recovery. Police believe that this company got a hold of the sex tapes when Jung left his phone with them to retrieve some data.
Police have yet to confirm
Min Gab-ryong, National Police Agency Commissioner-General
who first leaked the footage to whom, citing that the probe is still ongoing. The chats were revealed by Bang Jeong-hyun, a lawyer who said he was tipped off by an anonymous source via email.
The scandal has prodded law enforcement to ramp up the probe to get to the bottom of the case, as fresh allegations are mounting that could implicate the police in collusive ties with the nightclub management.
On Wednesday, a news report revealed the content of conversations in their mobile chat room that indicated a senior police official was protecting a nightclub.
National Police Agency Commissioner- General Min Gab-ryong apologised over such suspicions and vowed every effort to get to the bottom of the case.
“I will stake our fate and honour as police and make sure every single allegation is thoroughly investigated,” he told a parliamentary briefing.
Justice Minister Park Sang-ki indicated that the investigation will soon be transferred to the prosecution, given the seriousness of the case.
Jung and Seungri have expressed their intent to leave show business in a gesture of taking responsibility for their actions.
Jung has admitted to his wrongdoing and promised to put down everything and cooperate with the investigation in the fullest manner possible.
Seungri said he was retiring so as not to bring dishonour to the Big Bang branding.
Their agencies announced on Wednesday that they were terminating their contracts with the singers.
The latest scandal has put the local entertainment industry under fire, drawing criticism from a public dismayed at the news and creating a swirl of other rumours and speculation about who the women in Jung’s videos might be.
Top agencies, including SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, have warned of stern legal action against people spreading groundless rumours about their actresses and female singers.