Yang Hyun-suk, former CEO of YG Entertainment, was acquitted in the first trial after being charged with threatening an informant to cover up the drug investigation of BI (Kim Han-bin), a former member of the group 'Icon'.



On the morning of the 22nd, the 23rd Division of Criminal Agreement of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Cho Byeong-gu) acquitted former CEO Yang, who was charged with threatening retaliation under the Aggravated Punishment Act for Specific Crimes.



Former CEO Yang is accused of conciliating and threatening Mr. A in order to avoid the investigation after Mr. A, a former trainee who was arrested on drug charges in 2016, told the police about B.I's alleged purchase of drugs.



B.I was indicted in May of last year and was sentenced to 3 years in prison and 4 years probation.



Mr. A previously testified in court that former CEO Yang called him to the YG Entertainment building and urged him to reverse his statement, saying, "Killing you alone is not an issue."



Regarding this, former CEO Yang has always denied the allegations, saying that it is true that he met Mr. A, but he did not solicit or threaten false statements.



(Photo = Yonhap News)