Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Police had requested an arrest warrant for both Seungri and Yoo In Suk a few days ago, with Seungri facing charges of soliciting prostitution mediation, receiving prostitution services, embezzlement, and ordinance violations, and Yoo In Suk facing the same minus a receiving prostitution services charge.
Seungri’s arrest warrant hearing was today and after he was led to a holding cell to await the court’s ruling, the judge denied the pre-trial detention warrant, citing that there was possibility of dispute over the charges.
A local court refused Tuesday to issue an arrest warrant against former BIGBANG member Seungri, who faces embezzlement and pimping charges, in connection with a police probe into a sex and drug scandal surrounding a nightclub in southern Seoul. The Seoul Central District Court said there is “room for dispute” over his alleged embezzlement and there is little concern that he could destroy evidence. The 28-year-old singer is alleged to have arranged sex services for Japanese investors in 2015, together with his business partner Yoo In-suk, a former head of Yuri Holdings Co. He is also suspected of paying for prostitution services in 2015. They face allegations of embezzling about 530 million won (US$445,700) in total from Burning Sun, a club in southern Seoul for which the singer once worked, in 2016. The court also rejected the arrest warrant against Yoo.
Honestly surprised it came down to the embezzlement as I thought they had them dead to rights on that given the records whereas the other stuff was going to be more difficult to prove in court.
That evening, Judge Shin Jong Yeol of the Seoul Central District Court announced the dismissal of the requested pretrial detention warrants.
In relation to Seungri’s case, he explained, “There is room for dispute in regards to the main suspicion, which is embezzlement. It is also difficult to recognize a reason for detention, such as potential destruction of evidence, in regards to the remaining suspicions.”
Regardless, while this definitely isn’t promising, I did wonder previously what the point of detaining him now would even be. After all, it’s long past time to be concerned about them destroying evidence, mainly because they’ve already had ample time to do whatever.
Note: A summary of the arrest warrant process.
I know how being cynical about the justice system can come off sometimes, but stuff like this is why … well, I’m not surprised.
