K-pop star jailed for six years for gang rape, spycam crimes
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean K-pop singer-songwriter Jung Joon-young
Jung and Choi Jong-hoon, a former member of
Separately, 30-year-old Jung was also convicted of filming himself having sex with other women without their knowledge and sharing the footage 11 times without their consent.
It is the highest-profile example of an epidemic of
Jung distributed his videos in mobile chatrooms with recipients including fellow K-pop star Seungri of BIGBANG, who has been accused of illegal gambling in connection with a sex and drugs scandal.
"Jung and Choi took part in gang rape of victims who were intoxicated and unable to resist," the verdict said, rejecting the defendants' claim the sex was consensual.
"It is hard to fathom the extent of suffering the victims must have gone through."
The defendants had perceived the victims only as "sexual objects" to
Both men broke down in tears when the sentences were announced.
Jung rose to fame in 2014 when he came third in the audition show "Super Star K" and had
Known as "
In the conservative South, women who appear in such videos will feel deep shame despite being the victims and face the threat of ostracism and social isolation.
Around 5,500 people
K-pop star Jung Joon-young has been arrested, hours after he apologized for filming and distributing illicit sex videos, in a scandal that has rocked South Korea's entertainment industry.
The singer-songwriter last week admitted to filming himself having sex and sharing the footage without his partners' consent.
The videos of at least 10 women were shared through mobile chat rooms in 2015 with recipients including fellow K-pop star Seungri of BIGBANG.
The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant late Thursday, hours after Jung appeared at a hearing and apologized for committing "unforgivable crimes", the South's Yonhap news agency reported.
"I am sorry. I made a big and inexcusable mistake, and I admit my guilt," he said.
"I will live my days repenting for the sins."
Following the hearing, the 30-year-old was led away in handcuffs and taken to a police station to await the court's decision on the warrant. — Agence France-Presse
YG Entertainment retains Yang Min-suk, brother of Yang Hyun-suk, as CEO, the Korea Herald reports.
YG Entertainment manages the mega kpop boy group BIGBANG, whose youngest member Seungri is embroiled in the sex-for-investment probe in Seoul.
THIS JUST IN: YG CEO Yang Min-suk, younger brother of Yang Hyun-suk, has won a trust vote at shareholders' meeting. pic.twitter.com/12OMspy8bF
— Kpop Herald (@Kpop_Herald) March 22, 2019
Korean media reports YG Entertainment is under investigation for tax evasion.
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