6/15

[수친구]

Yang quits as YG chief amid growing suspicions of drug offense cover-up

Yang Hyun-suk, quit as the head of YG Entertainment, the agency he founded 23 years ago, as allegations of police collusion grew Friday.

In the latest development in a string of scandals swirling around the embattled label, a whistleblower filed a report against YG with the Anti-corruption and Civil Rights Commision Tuesday, which raised suspicions of the label’s colluding with the police to cover up a possible drug use offense involving one of its artists -- B.I of iKon. 

YG terminated its contract with B.I on Wednesday. B.I, in a statement posted on Instagram on the same day, apologized for "causing a controversy" but denied the drug allegations.

YG Entertainment headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul (Yonhap)

Friday morning, Bang Jeong-hyun, a lawyer representing the whistleblower, said in an interview with radio broadcaster CBS that Yang contacted and asked the witness to overturn testimony involving the iKon singer.

In announcing his resignation on YG's official websiste, Yang  denied the whistleblower's claims. "The veracity of the current media reports and rumours will be ascertained through future investigations," he said.

Bang also claimed police did not pursue an investigation of B.I despite an evidence from an August 2016 investigation suggesting that he might have taken drugs.

“The police seized the witness’ cellphone and took pictures of Kakao messenger conversations with B.I as evidence,” Bang said, adding that the witness also consistently testified in the first two interrogations that they had taken drugs together.

However, the police did not summon B.I, the lawyer said.

The witness also discovered that the testimony regarding B.I had not been included in the police report that was handed to the witness for confirmation during the third interrogation that took place on Aug. 30, 2016, Bang said.

The witness was also called into the YG headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, by Yang during the course of the police investigation, according to the lawyer.

Bang said that during the witness’ meeting with Yang on Aug. 23, 2016 the YG chief told the witness that he could “easily give (the witness) disadvantages” and asked the witness to “retract the statement made to police about B.I,” in exchange for “compensations.”

“Our artists (at YG Entertainment) will not test positive for drug use, even if you were to test them right this moment,” the lawyer quoted Yang as telling the witness. Bang said Yang told the witness, “We test our artists for drugs on a regular basis and if they test positive, we send them to Japan and we have a way of getting the drug out of the system.”

Bang said the witness had named more celebrities who are alleged to have used drugs. While none will be disclosed at this point, Bang mentioned “a certain boy band member who attempted to conceal the (B.I) incident, acting as a go-between YG and the witness.”

YG did not respond to The Korea Herald’s requests for comment.

(arin@heraldcorp.com)

[수친구]

collusion 영어
발음미국/영국 [kəlúːʒən]
뜻① 공모 ② 결탁 ③ 음모 더보기
숙어
in collusion with …과 결탁하여.

[수친구]

swirl 영어
발음미국/영국 [swəːrl]
뜻① 선회류 ② 스월 ③ 소용돌이 ④ 빙빙 더보기
숙어
The water swirled in coils. 물이 소용돌이치고 있었다

A rush of water swirled up the beach. 파도가 소용돌이치며 세차게 바닷가에 밀어닥쳤다.

[수친구]

whistle blower 영어
발음미국/영국 [wíslblòuər]
뜻① 내부 고발자 ② 밀고자 ③ 공익신고자

[수친구]

인스타그램(Instagram)은 스마트폰으로 찍은 사진을 친구들과 공유하는 서비스로, 미국에서 케빈 시스트롬(Kevin Systrom, 1984~)과 마이크 크리거(Mike Krieger, 1986~)가 2010년 10월 출시했다. ‘즉석 카메라(instant camera)’와 ‘전보(電報, telegram)’라는 단어를 합성해 만든 이름이다. 사진을 쉽게 공유하고, 각종 필터를 통해 사진에 색깔과 효과를 쉽게 덧입힐 수 있는 것이 특징이다.

[수친구]

veracity 영어
발음미국/영국 [vərǽsəti]
뜻① 정확도 ② 정직 ③ 정확성 더보기
숙어
a man of veracity and integrity 매우 청렴결백한 사람.

I doubt his veracity. 그의 진실성을 의심한다.

[수친구]

interrogation 영어
발음미국/영국 [intèrəgéiʃən]
뜻① 심문 ② 질문함 ③ 의문 더보기
숙어
a note of interrogation 의문 부호.

[수친구]

embattled 영어
발음미국/영국 [imbǽtld]
뜻① 싸움에 대비한 ② 진용을 갖춘 ③ 싸움 중인

[수친구]

go between 영어
발음
뜻① 중개자 ② 거간꾼 ③ …의 사이에 들어가다 더보기
숙어
act as a go-between 중개하다, 중매서다.