Group Kara Park Gyu-ri (35) was questioned as a witness by the prosecution in connection with her ex-boyfriend Song Mo (23).
The Financial Investigation Department 1 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Seung-hyung Lee) announced on the 20th that it is investigating Mr. Song, CEO of Company P, who issued virtual currency (coin) linked to works of art, on charges of violation of the Capital Markets Act and fraud. Mr. Song is suspected of fraud and violation of the Capital Markets Act by disseminating false information and manipulating the market price in the process of issuing and promoting coins.
The coin issued by Company P, headed by Mr. Song, is a virtual currency created to allow joint ownership of expensive works of art through ‘piece investment’. When issuing the coin, Company P advertised that it could be used for trading or auctioning famous art works not only domestically but also overseas. In addition, there are suspicions that kickbacks were given through brokers at the time of Coinone's listing.
In the process of investigating Song, the prosecution summoned Park Gyu-ri, Song's former lover and the curator of Company P's art gallery at the time, as a reference. Prosecutors have also discovered the circumstances in which Park Gyu-ri held and sold the coin in question and are investigating the circumstances.
Park Gyu-ri, through her agency, claimed, 'There is a fact that she was summoned as a witness by an investigative agency, but it has nothing to do with the related business.' The agency said, "During the witness statement, we clearly explained that we did not participate in illegal activities related to the coin business and did not obtain any unfair profits. Although we have no connection with the business, we will cooperate as much as possible with the related investigation." .
Park Gyu-ri and Song have been in a public relationship since 2019, and they worked together in business, including working together on a project, but they broke up in 2021. At the time of their relationship, the two were known to be an older-younger couple with a 7-year age difference, but it was later revealed that they were actually the same age as Song was younger.
Mr. Song, the grandson of the founder of a local construction company, caused controversy in 2021 on suspicion of drunk driving, and also ran for a by-election for the National Assembly in 2022.
Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr