<Anchor>
Kang Jong-hyun, known as the actual owner of Bithumb, the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange in Korea, attended the interrogation of the suspect before his arrest on the morning of the 1st.
He is suspected of manipulating the stock price of affiliates and embezzlement, and whether to be arrested will be decided late tonight.
This is reporter Kim Deok-hyun.
<Reporter>
An interrogation was held this morning before the arrest of Mr. Kang Jong-hyun, who is suspected of stock price manipulation and embezzlement of the country's second-largest virtual currency exchange 'Bithumb'.
Mr. Kang, wearing a brown coat, appeared in court carrying a bundle of papers.
[Kang Jong-hyun/Businessman: (Why did you refuse to comply with the summons? Do you admit to the charge of stock price manipulation?) I will do my best.
(Did you direct the destruction of evidence?) No.
No.]
On the 25th of last month, the prosecution requested arrest warrants for three people, including Kang and two executives and employees of Bithumb affiliates, on charges of fraudulent and illegal transactions, breach of trust and embezzlement under the Capital Markets Act.
Prosecutors summoned and investigated Kang twice last month.
The prosecution, who caught the circumstances that Mr. Kang and his gang stole company money or manipulated stock prices, launched a full-fledged investigation by seizing and searching Bithumb affiliates in October of last year.
Mr. Kang is the older brother of Mr. Kang, who is in charge of the representative of the Bithumb affiliate, and the prosecution believes that Mr. Kang actually owns the Bithumb affiliate and directly intervened in the management.
Whether or not to arrest Kang is expected to be decided late tonight.
(Video coverage: Kim Nam-seong, video editing: Lee Seung-hee)