The police have prohibited BIGBANG’s Seungri from leaving the country after booking him for allegedly providing sexual escort services for foreign investors.

On March 11, The Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency banned Seungri from leaving the country after booking him, meaning that his status was changed from that of a target of investigation (the stage before someone becomes a suspect in Korean criminal law) to that of a suspect.

Because Seungri will be enlisting in the army on March 25, the police is planning to speed up the investigation.

All of this begins with SBS funE’s report on February 26, where they released text messages that were allegedly shared between Seungri, CEO Yoo of Yuri Holdings, and an employee in 2015. The contents of the messages implied that they were hiring prostitutes at Club Arena (a club located in the Gangnam district) for foreign business investors, and both YG and Yuri Holdings denied the claims in separate statements. One day later, Seungri underwent questioning at the police station and shared his willingness to cooperate with any further questioning.

On March 10, the police searched Club Arena, and later in the day, Seungri, along with three to four other people in the KakaoTalk group chat, were booked for aiding in providing sexual escort services.

Source (1) via Soompi

Following recent controversies, BIGBANG’s Seungri has announced his retirement.

On March 11, he shared the following statement on Instagram:

This is Seungri.

At this point, I think it would be best if I retire from the entertainment industry. I decided on retiring from the entertainment industry as the issues that I caused a societal disturbance with are too major. Regarding the issues that are being investigated, I will be investigated diligently and reveal all the suspicions.

Receiving criticism and hate from the public for the past month and a half and with the situation of all the investigative agencies in the country currently investigating me, I am even being cornered as a traitor of the nation. I personally cannot tolerate causing harm to everyone around me in order to save myself.

I sincerely thank all of the fans in and outside of Korea who have given me lots of love for the past 10 years, and I think this is where I stop even if it’s at least [to protect] the honor of YG and BIGBANG.

Again, I am sorry and apologize once again.

I have been thankful to everyone until now.

Source: Soompi

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승리입니다 제가 이시점에서 연예계를 은퇴를하는것이 좋을거같습니다. 사회적 물의를 일으킨 사안이 너무나 커 연예계 은퇴를 결심했습니다 수사중인 사안에 있어서는 성실하게 조사를 받아 쌓인 모든 의혹을 밝히도록 하겠습니다. 지난 한달반동안 국민들로부터 질타받고 미움받고 지금 국내 모든 수사기관들이 저를 조사하고 있는 상황에서 국민역적 으로까지 몰리는 상황인데 저 하나 살자고 주변 모두에게 피해주는일은 도저히 제스스로가 용납이 안됩니다 지난 10여 년간 많은 사랑을 베풀어준 국내외 많은 팬분들께 모든 진심을 다해 감사드리며 와이지와 빅뱅 명예를 위해서라도 저는 여기까지인거같습니다 다시한번 죄송하고 또 죄송합니다 그동안 모든분들께 감사했습니다

A post shared by @ seungriseyo on Mar 11, 2019 at 1:39am PDT

Amid the ongoing investigation of Gangnam-based club Burning Sun, police have begun to probe another Gangnam club, Club Arena, as well as the National Tax Service over allegations of sex bribery and tax evasion.

Investigators from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency raided Club Arena on Sunday to collect evidence related to 29-year-old K-pop star Seungri, who has been booked on suspicions of sex bribery.

Police have been looking into the suspicion after a local media outlet disclosed social media messages in which Seungri allegedly told an employee of Burning Sun club, then a Club Arena employee, to provide illicit sex services for his foreign VIP customers.

As the singer had mentioned Club Arena as the venue for where the “lobbying” would take place, police will investigate involvement of club employees in the case.

On Sunday, police booked the singer, who is slated to enlist for military service on March 25, as a suspect in alleged sex bribery. Police on Monday said they would continue the probe even after the BIGBANG members starts military service, after discussion with the Ministry of National Defense.

Some celebrities whose names were in the group message that concerned the alleged sex bribery were summoned for questioning as well, according to police.

Club Arena (Yonhap)

Meanwhile, Seoul’s Gangnam Police Station sent five investigators to raid the NTS Seoul Regional Office on Friday to gather evidence on an alleged corrupt tie between the office and Club Arena on tax evasion.

Police have been investigating the club since the end of 2018 over allegations the club evaded some 15 billion won ($13.2 million) in taxes.

The raid was carried out as police found evidence that the NTS Seoul Regional Office had not properly investigated the case. Ten people were booked, including a man believed to be the owner of Club Arena, and NTS Seoul Regional Office officials were summoned for questioning.

Police also suspect that Club Arena gave money to officials at fire stations and the district office. The exact amount of money and the people involved in the case have not been disclosed, but an accounting book reportedly contains records showing millions of won in cash being paid.

Police plan to continue to investigate to find out whether the nightclub lobbied public officials in charge of overseeing fire safety and food hygiene at the club.

By Park Ju-young (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Seungri booked to speed up the investigation; first hair follicle test negative https://t.co/9fJNFYAATQ pic.twitter.com/FIBaEWzPI1

— KPOP news (@kpop__news_) March 10, 2019

The results of the first round of investigation on drug use were negative, as Seungri of BIGBANG was booked by the police on suspicion of sexual abuse.

Reporter Kwak Hye-mi This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BIGBANG‘s Seungri , which was suspected of sexually entertaining overseas investors, was booked by the police. There was a negative reaction to the drug charge.

The metropolitan investigation team of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on Thursday that it had booked Seungri on charges of violating the law on the punishment of sex trafficking and other crimes. Regarding the reason for this, the police explained that he wanted to receive a warrant to search and search to clear the suspicion.

The police conducted an internal investigation when suspicions were raised that Seungri had been sexually treated by overseas investors. Seungri was investigated for about eight and a half hours. The police also secured and analyzed some of the contents of the messenger’s conversation regarding the sexual encounter, and requested the commission to cooperate with the data.

The results of the first round of investigation on drug use were negative, as Seungri of BIGBANG was booked by the police on suspicion of sexual abuse. Reporter Kwak Hye-mi This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Seungri was also suspected of taking drugs as a result of controversy over “Burning Sun,” a club that was listed as a company director. In response, the team tested hair and urine during a police investigation on June 27. The police asked the National Institute of Scientific Investigation for a close examination, and they were told that the results of analysis on drugs such as methamphetamine, ecstasy, opium and cannabis all showed negative responses.

Seungri, who was booked on charges of prostitution, is set to join the Army on March 25. The police plan to speed up the investigation as the time for joining the military is not long away. As the victory has announced that it will actively cooperate with police investigations, attention is focusing on whether it will be able to clean up suspicions and join the military.