A new testimony in the YG – Han Seo-hee trial: “Had Yang Hyuk-suk given me 500 million, I would have shut up”
Yang Hyun-seok, former CEO of YG Entertainment, pleaded not guilty that he had never threatened Han Seo-hee. Han Seo-hee said to officer A in charge of investigating her that she would not have reported if she had received 500 million won.
The 23rd Criminal Settlement Division (judge Yoo Young-geun) of the Seoul Central District Court held its first trial earlier today on allegations such as Yang Hyun-seok‘s violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (retaliation threats). Former CEO Yang has attended the trial. Former CEO Yang was tried on charges of threatening Han Seo-hee, who accused YG Entertainment‘s celebrity B.I of purchasing drugs, to change her statement in front of the police.
Regarding the trial, Yang Hyun-seok‘s lawyer pleaded not guilty. “It is true that the Defendant met Han Seo-hee, but he did not threaten or force her to make a false statement,” he claimed. Yang Hyun-seok also had the same opinion as his lawyer.
Police officer A, who first investigated Han Seo-hee on drug charges, appeared as a witness. The prosecutor intensively confirmed the situation when Han Seo-hee was investigated by A during the witness interrogation. A testified that Han Seo-hee suddenly changed her attitude after saying she would testify to B.I’s drug charges. A said that Han Seo-hee had apologized in tears when she reversed her statement regarding B.I. A recalled the time, saying, “When I asked Han Seo-hee why she reversed her statement, she cried and replied, ‘I’m sorry’.”
Yang Hyun-seok’s lawyer pointed out that A’s statement at the trial was different from that of September 2019 when he was investigated by the police. A replied, “As Han Seo-hee was in the process of reporting, the target suddenly changed. She became the investigation target and was booked after, which has caused her a mental burden.”
At the trial that day, phone transcripts of Han Seo-hee and A in 2019 were also released, two years after the B.I case was closed. It turned out that Han Seo-hee had persuaded A on the phone to respond to an interview with a media outlet. At the time of the phone call, A testified that Han So-hee had said things such as, “If Yang Hyun-seok had given me 500 million won, I would have shut up,” “I will ruin Yang Hyun-suk. I hate him.” In an additional inquiry about the transcript, A admitted that the transcript of his phone call with Han Seo-hee was correct.
With Yang Hyun-seok denying all the details related to the threat, the interrogation of A is expected to continue. The next trial date will be held on December 6th.
