South Korean singer Seungri has receded from public life since 2019. File Photo by Yonhap

April 8 (UPI) -- South Korean prosecutors are seeking a three-year prison sentence for a senior police officer who was arrested and charged with attempting to cover up illegal activities at nightclub Burning Sun, where wealthy clientele regularly raped and drugged women.

The police officer, a senior superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, has been identified only by his surname Yoon in local media. Prosecutors are seeking a three-year prison sentence and a fine of about $5,750 for Yoon's violation of laws, Yonhap reported Wednesday.


Last fall, Yoon was arrested on charges of violating criminal law, including bribery, obstruction, insider trading and destruction of evidence.

Drugging and rapes at Burning Sun, owned by K-pop superstar Seungri, went on despite pleas from victims to police. South Korean investigations later found calls for help went ignored from city police who had knowledge of crimes.

Yoon may have received bribes in return for the favor. He also may have been the person referred to as the "police chief" by Seungri, and other accomplices, in online chat rooms on social media platform KakaoTalk.

Yoon was not transferred to prosecution in 2019 for charges he faced related to Burning Sun. Police instead used evidence that Yoon warned a drinking establishment, Monkey Museum, of pending police action for food sanitation violations. Monkey Museum at the time was under the ownership of Seungri, and Yoo In-seok, the chief executive of Yuri Holdings. Yoo was later found to have taken part in chat room messages with Seungri.

Seungri has stepped back from public life since the scandal. In March he began his term of mandatory military service. His case will be transferred to a military court.

Seungri leveraged his fame to start different lines of business, including Aori Ramen, a chain.

The restaurant filed for bankruptcy in March, according to local paper Herald Business.