With the arrest of Park Na-rae's former manager on charges of demanding a large sum of money and threatening her, the legal battle between the parties has entered a new phase. In this context, remarks by a lawyer who previously mentioned Park Na-rae's "risk of imprisonment" are receiving renewed attention.
Seoul Yongsan Police Station on the 16th arrested former manager A on charges of attempted extortion and embezzlement in the course of business. Another manager, B, is also expected to be referred to the prosecution in a noncustodial state.
A is accused of demanding a large sum from Park Na-rae, saying he would expose false claims that Park Na-rae had privately diverted company funds to an ex-boyfriend and others, demanding an amount equal to 10% of the company's 2024 sales. He is also suspected of embezzling about 30 million won of company funds and has been under police investigation.
As the case rapidly progressed, attention turned to Jang Hyun-ho, representative lawyer of the law firm Kangsim, who analyzed the dispute on his YouTube channel about six months earlier. At the time, Jang said from a legal perspective that Park Na-rae had a possibility of imprisonment, noting "Park Na-rae makes a living on her image and has much more to lose," and "settlement was important." He also regretted the lack of a pragmatic choice, saying, "Lawyers make a lot of money, managers earn 100 million to 200 million won, and Park Na-rae could go to prison or receive a suspended sentence."
However, contrary to expectations, when former manager A was arrested, netizens asked, "Did the client get arrested?" and "Isn't this effectively a loss?"
On the 21st, Jang's side directly posted a statement in the comments. He drew a line, saying, "This case is one in which our law firm was recently appointed as the new counsel, and the investigation has been ongoing for a long time before that." He added a cautious note, saying, "Because this matter is currently under investigation, it is difficult for the counsel in charge to speak in detail. It would be best to wait for the first trial results."
With A's arrest, some cautiously predict the possibility of a comeback. But the legal community has urged caution, saying that arrest does not equate to a conviction.
The two camps' legal battles are currently tangled and proceeding separately. Apart from A's charges of attempted extortion and embezzlement, Park Na-rae is still under police investigation in connection with allegations raised by the former managers, including embezzlement, workplace harassment, special injury, and illegal medical practices.
[Photo] Park Na-rae SNS
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