As suspicions arose that singer Lim Chang-jung was involved in an alleged stock price manipulation case, Lim Chang-jung is claiming that he suffered losses by entrusting money to an operation group. However, Lim Chang-jung was seen attending an investor event following a party to reach KRW 1 trillion hosted by a group suspected of stock price manipulation and making remarks that seemed to recommend investment. This is why there are suspicions that he may be trying to withdraw from relations with those suspected of stock price manipulation.
According to a media report on the 30th, Lim Chang-jung attended the 'KRW 1 trillion achievement party' and also attended an investor event. In the reported video, Lim Chang-jeong says, "This month is December, and I give him all the money I earned before December 31, 2022. I lived well for about 30 years. From your perspective, I lived well, right?" . Here, ‘he’ is CEO Ra Deok-yeon of an investment advisory firm. It is known that the event in the video was filmed on December 20 last year at a golf course in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, where CEO Ra's VIP investors gathered.
An attendee at the event reported that Lim Chang-jeong encouraged the audience to invest more money in CEO Ra. However, Lim Chang-jung's side explained this by saying, "This was not a remark that encouraged investment."
Lim Chang-jung is in the midst of controversy due to his involvement in the recent pile-up lower limit incident originating from Societe Generale (SG) Securities. Since the 24th, financial authorities and prosecutors have investigated stock price manipulation in connection with the plummeting of eight stocks, including Daol Investment & Securities, Dow Data, Daesung Holdings, Samchully, Seoul Gas, Sunkwang, Sebang, and Harim Holdings, as shares were poured in through SG Securities. started on. It is known that Lim Chang-jung suffered a loss after entrusting 3 billion won to a group suspected of stock price manipulation.
In this process, Lim Chang-jeong even entrusted his and his wife Seo Ha-yan's identification cards so that they could invest on their behalf. At one point, the investment amount increased to 5.8 billion won, but Lim Chang-jung is now claiming that he is also a victim, saying that only 189 million won remains. In relation to this, Lim Chang-jung appealed through his channel, "I have never caused financial damage to anyone and have never taken any wrongful advantage. Please scold me for my ignorance, but please do not criticize me with unconfirmed content."
Every time a controversy related to the 'stock price crash' erupts, Lim Chang-jung uses 'out-of-body speech', saying 'I don't know about it'. Regarding the circumstances of attending the '1 trillion won party', Lim Chang-jung's side said, "I was invited to the year-end event by Chairman Ra Deok-yeon, who was discussing pursuing an entertainment business together at the time, and I attended as a guest, but as a member of the organizer. “I did not attend,” he emphasized. In addition, "At that time, less than a month after getting to know Chairman Ra Deok-yeon, Lim Chang-jeong was invited as an invited guest to a simple year-end party and attended with his wife and 6-year-old child. The details of the event were also detailed. "I only found out later. The truth is that he left the table after giving a brief greeting and finishing the meal," he explained.
The reason why abnormal signs were discovered late in this stock market crash, in which about 8 trillion won evaporated as 8 stocks plummeted, is because the stock price rise lasted for a long period of time rather than a short period of time. Stocks that had risen steadily since April of last year suddenly hit their lowest price. It is difficult to prove responsibility for stock price manipulation because manipulators and actual investors are mixed together. This is especially true in the case of this incident, as it is presumed to have progressed over a long period of time.
Lim Chang-jung is taking a step back and repeatedly emphasizing that he has nothing to do with this incident. Rather, he is highlighting his 'moral mistake' in that he suffered losses and did not know how to trade stocks because he had little experience investing in stocks. It appears that he is trying to avoid legal responsibility while maintaining his morality as a celebrity. In addition, we are continuing to leave enough 'space' to continue our activities in the future when this situation is over.
Lim Chang-jeong said, “I feel a heavy sense of responsibility as a public figure, as the incident had a huge social impact regardless of its authenticity and legal issues.” I am concerned that they are talking about responsibility and considering ways to get out of this situation. Whether Lim Chang-jung is a victim of stock price manipulation as he claims will be determined through the financial authorities and prosecutors' investigation. The bigger problem is that even if legal responsibility is not incurred, the behavior shown during the response process has caused irreparable damage to the image.
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr