Actor Hwang Jung-eum, who was indicted on charges of embezzling about 4.2 billion won from a company in which she owns 100% equity, received a suspended prison sentence in the first trial.
The Jeju District Court Criminal Division 2 (Presiding Judge Lim Jae-nam) on the 25th sentenced actor Hwang Jung-eum, who was brought to trial on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement), to two years in prison, suspended for four years.
Around Jul. 2022, Hwang is accused of borrowing 800 million won under the name of an agency for which she is the de facto owner, then transferring 700 million won from the agency's account to her personal account as a provisional payment and investing it in cryptocurrency.
Using the same method, Hwang invested a total of about 4.2 billion won out of 4.36 billion won in company funds into cryptocurrency over 13 transactions, and the remainder was used for items such as card payments to cover property tax and local government tax, according to the findings.
Hwang's side acknowledged all the charges in court and said the entire damage amount had been repaid.
The court said it considered as sentencing factors that "the defendant repaid the full amount embezzled and is a first-time offender."
Hwang, who appeared to tear up immediately after the ruling, said, "I am sorry for causing concern."