Victory's detention hearing ends after 2 hours 30 minutes... Boards transport vehicle with head bowed

Former Big Bang member Seungri (real name Lee Seung-hyun), who has been indicted on seven charges including habitual gambling and violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, is entering the courtroom to attend the warrant hearing held on the 13th at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] The court's pre-arrest detention hearing for singer Seungri (real name Lee Seunghyun) ended in just 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Seungri left the courtroom around 1 p.m. that day. When reporters asked questions such as "Do you admit the charges?" and "Do you have anything to say?", he did not respond and got into a van prepared by the prosecution, leaving the Seoul Central District Court. Seungri will wait at the Seoul Detention Center until Chief Judge Song Kyungho, who is in charge of the warrant, decides whether to issue the arrest warrant. The decision on whether to issue the warrant is expected as early as late that afternoon.

Earlier, Seungri arrived at the Seoul Central District Court at 10:30 a.m. to attend the detention hearing. He did not answer any questions from reporters asking whether he admitted the charges. Although he seemed to hesitate briefly as if to speak, he lowered his head and headed to the courtroom.

The prosecution, which took over the Burning Sun case from the police for investigation, filed an arrest warrant for Seungri on the 8th. The warrant listed a total of seven charges, including violations of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. It is reported that the warrant requested by the prosecution included habitual gambling and violations of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, which were not included in the arrest warrant requested by the police in May last year. At that time, the police formed a large dedicated investigation team in January last year regarding the Burning Sun allegations, but after the arrest warrant for Seungri was dismissed, the case was transferred to the prosecution in June of the same year.

According to the prosecution, Seungri is suspected of gambling several times with former YG Entertainment CEO and producer Yang Hyun-suk at hotel casinos in Las Vegas, USA, for about three and a half years starting from December 2013. From September 2015 to January 2016, he is also accused of arranging prostitution for overseas investors. The prosecution last year indicted on detention Senior Superintendent Yoon Kyugeun, who is suspected of collusion with Seungri in connection with the Burning Sun case, and former CEO Jeong Mo of Nokwon CNI (formerly Cube S), a special ink manufacturer who introduced Superintendent Yoon to Seungri’s side.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.