Prosecutors Summon Producer Kim Kwang-soo Over 'Produce' Vote Manipulation Allegations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution investigating allegations of vote manipulation in the TV audition program 'Produce 101' (Produce) series summoned Kim Kwang-soo, the general producer of PocketDol Studio (59), who is suspected of being involved in the vote manipulation, on the 22nd.

The Criminal Division 6 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Young-rim) has been questioning Producer Kim since the morning as a suspect.

He is accused of obstruction of business for allegedly instructing employees of the entertainment agency, where he was effectively the representative during Produce Season 1 in 2016, to concentrate votes on affiliated trainees using multiple pseudonymous IDs.

Suspicion of viewer vote manipulation in the Produce series arose last July when an unexpected contestant was selected for the debut group in the final round of Produce Season 4, 'Produce X 101.'

The suspicion grew as analyses showed that the vote counts for ranks 1 to 20 were all multiples of a specific number.

Subsequently, the police launched an investigation and found evidence suggesting vote manipulation occurred across all seasons from Produce 1 to 4.

Earlier, the prosecution had indicted PD Ahn Jun-young and general producer (CP) Kim Yong-beom, who were in charge of the Produce series, on charges including obstruction of business and fraud, and detained them.

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