Yang Hyun-suk, the founder of YG Entertainment, has been found guilty by a Seoul court for coercing an informant to withdraw her testimony against a singer affiliated with the company. On November 8, the Seoul High Court sentenced Yang Hyun-suk to six months in prison, suspended for one year, for pressuring aspiring singer Han So-hee to retract her testimony about illegal drugs involving one of the artists at YG Entertainment. The High Court’s decision overturns a previous ruling that acquitted Yang Hyun-suk.
According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, Yang Hyun-suk was indicted in 2019 for threatening Han So-hee, who had testified against former iKON member B.I. She filed a complaint with the police, alleging that Yang’s actions could “ruin her.” The court noted that Yang had abused his authority as the head of YG Entertainment by ordering the informant to rescind her testimony, ultimately leading to the resumption of the B.I. investigation and subsequent punishment for the artist.
The High Court stated, “Yang’s charges weigh heavily as he not only hindered the freedom of statement for the investigation but also violated the criminal justice system for a considerable amount of time.” YG Entertainment, founded by Yang Hyun-suk, is a prominent management company in the K-pop industry, representing popular groups such as Treasure and WINNER.
