By Kim Jae-heun





Psy Lee Seung-chul

K-pop star Psy is not acquainted with the niece of Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye's confidant who is currently charged with abuse of authority and attempted fraud, YG Entertainment announced Thursday.

Jang Si-ho, the daughter of Choi's older sister Soon-deuk, is suspected pulling strings along with her mother to wield her influence in the entertainment industry. She has reportedly made connections with celebrities in the entertainers' football team called FC Hoeori, according to opposition party lawmaker An Min-suk in his report on news channel TBS.

Although An did not name specific celebrities who could have been in contact with Jang, the names of singers Psy, Lee Seung-chul and Kim Heung-gook surfaced as rumors spread fast on the internet.

YG Entertainment said in its official statement Psy has never met Jang and the top star has no relationship her. In addition, the company said Psy is not a member of FC Hoeori and Jang has never worked at YG.

Kim, who is president of the Korea Singers Association, said in an interview with local media that he left the celebrity football team in 2002 and he does not know Choi Soon-deuk. However, he hinted that he is aware Soon-deuk is a member of FC Hoeori.

Kim also added that Psy was not on the team when he actively enjoyed football there 10 years ago and remembers singer Lee's withdrawal from the team.

Lee became the target of suspicion as lawmaker An argued that that some singers were invited to perform at major international events to represent Korea. He argued that Jang influenced her power behind the event. An said Lee, the former singer of rock band Boohwal, is well known and has a long established relationship with Choi, knowing Jang personally.

The rumors spread online that Lee is an acquaintance of Jang and Choi as he participated in several international events, including the closing ceremony for Sochi Olympics and NGO conference hosted by the United Nations, and that he played in FC Hoeori before.

However, Lee's agency said the singer quit the football team 15 years ago and it is an overly exaggerated and groundless assumption that he is connected with Choi for playing sports on the team. The agency stated that Lee was officially invited to both the closing ceremony at the Sochi Olympics and the U.N.'s NGO Conference as he paid out of his own expenses to lead a choir of North Korean defectors on the organizers' request.

Meanwhile, singer Lee Seung-hwan put up a banner on his building which says "Let's Go! For Democracy! Resign President," urging people to gather for a candlelight rally at City Hall on Saturday.

Lee previously hung a banner on Tuesday calling for the President's resignation. However, Lee removed the banner as police notified him this was an illegal act.

This time, Lee revealed on social media he has consulted with a lawyer and can legally install a banner for a non-profit objective as an individual and he does not have to report or obtain permission.