Singer Lee Seung-gi and actress Lee Da-in have declared their separation from their in-laws, who are under suspicion of stock price manipulation.
On the 29th, Lee Seung-gi conveyed his stance regarding his father-in-law's stock price manipulation allegations through his agency, Big Planet Made.
He opened by saying, "I apologize for communicating this with a heavy heart. I have been waiting for results based on family trust, and I cannot suppress my feelings of devastation regarding my father-in-law's misconduct, even though fines were previously imposed in the remanded trial for the illegal issues raised against him and he has now reached a point of being indicted again due to similar illegal activities."
He continued, "I deeply reflect on my thoughtless remarks made without sufficiently reviewing the issues related to my father-in-law last year. I believe that appropriate penalties must be imposed for the illegal actions, and I sincerely apologize for the pain caused to the victims who suffered due to my hasty judgments. I also feel nothing but regret towards everyone who believed and understood me."
Earlier, Lee Seung-gi's father-in-law, Mr. A, was indicted for allegedly artificially inflating the stock price of a Kosdaq-listed company he managed from November 2014 to February 2016 and profiting 2.37 billion won by selling shares received through a capital increase. In this regard, the first trial court acknowledged their involvement in illegal false disclosures, sentencing Mr. A to four years in prison and a fine of 2.5 billion won. Co-manager Mr. B was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of 1.2 billion won. However, the appeals court acquitted Mr. B and others, stating that the disclosure regarding the funding for acquiring stocks and convertible bonds could not be considered an "important matter" for fraudulent trading under the Capital Markets Act.
However, the Supreme Court found errors in the second trial's ruling and decided to send it back in June of last year. At the time, Lee Seung-gi's agency issued an official statement, saying, "We sincerely ask that family matters not be touched. Lee Seung-gi is now taking responsibility as the head of a family, as a husband, and as a father of a child. Moreover, Lee Seung-gi's father-in-law and mother-in-law have also become grandparents of a newly born life. This matter particularly relates to events that occurred before Lee Seung-gi's marriage and should be resolved by the family."
Subsequently, when the film "Large Family" production report held in November of the same year mentioned this matter, he explained, "It seems to have caused the misunderstanding that 'family is not at fault,' but matters related to my in-laws are my in-laws' matters. Since marriage, my wife has become independent from her family, and now we have established our own independent household," adding, "I think I must act carefully to avoid causing misunderstandings in the future."
As Mr. A was fined for stock price manipulation and recently faced another lawsuit for similar activities, Lee Seung-gi reversed his stance from a year ago, publicly apologizing to the victims and declaring his separation from his in-laws.
Lee Seung-gi added, "This incident has severely damaged the trust within the family, and my wife and I have decided to sever our relationship with my in-laws after much deliberation. Moving forward, I will strive to uphold a more appropriate value system and live with a sense of responsibility for a healthy society. I deeply apologize once again for causing concern and disappointment due to personal matters."
Meanwhile, Lee Seung-gi married Lee Da-in, the daughter of actress Gyeon Mi-ri, in April 2023, and welcomed their first daughter in February of the following year. It remains to be seen whether he can completely cut ties with his in-laws, who have been embroiled in allegations of stock price manipulation.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]