Credit: Star Today, BLUEDOT Entertainment
An idol member’s father has been banned from leaving South Korea on charges of approximately 290 billion won ($210 million) in fraud. The court rejected his request to lift the travel ban.
According to LawTalk News on July 8th, the Seoul Administrative Court rejected the father’s request in April to lift his travel ban, which he made by citing his second son, an idol singer.
The man is accused of amassing 291.9 billion won from victims over approximately one year and five months, starting in September 2022, by promising high returns through a platform. He is currently under police investigation. During the investigation, the Ministry of Justice imposed a travel ban on him in April 2024 at the request of the police, and it has been extended monthly.
After the case was transferred to the prosecution, he filed an administrative lawsuit in March to challenge the extension of his travel ban. During the trial, he argued that he had conscientiously cooperated with the investigation, that his family resides in South Korea, and, specifically, that his second son is active as an idol singer, suggesting he had no reason to flee overseas.
He particularly pleaded for the travel ban to be lifted, stating that business trips abroad were essential and that the ban was expected to cause significant damage to his company’s operations.
Furthermore, the court did not accept the argument that his second son’s status as an idol negated the risk of flight. The court explained, “Considering the gravity of the charges and the likelihood of a prolonged investigation, the plaintiff’s disadvantages do not outweigh public interests, such as securing the state’s right to punish and preventing evidence destruction.”
Regarding the asserted business damages, the court ruled, “It cannot be concluded that overseas travel must necessarily be conducted by the plaintiff, nor is there objective data indicating that the plaintiff has suffered significant disadvantage due to the travel ban.”
In relation to this matter, one Korean media outlet contacted the idol member’s agency for a statement, but a representative could not be reached.
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