On August 15, Channel A reported that Yang Hyun Suk continues to be suspected of receiving special treatment from police.

Earlier this year, Dispatch released a report that B.I had attempted to purchase drugs in 2016. Subsequently, the informant in B.I’s case reported to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission about YG Entertainment’s alleged ties with the police, which were reportedly used to conceal B.I’s involvement in the 2016 drug-related charges. Eventually, a task force was put together to reinvestigate the 2016 case and YG Entertainment’s possible connections with it.

Now, Channel A is reporting that Yang Hyun Suk also received special treatment from the police in investigations about building violations. Channel A reports that in building violation cases, suspects are usually summoned to the police station for questioning, but in this case, the police officers went to seek out Yang Hyun Suk at his workplace instead.

The building in this case is a six-floor building in the Mapo district in Seoul. In 2016, the photography studio on the third floor was changed into a residence without alerting the proper authorities as to the change of use. As this was a violation of building laws, the police requested an investigation into Yang Hyun Suk, the owner of the building.

While Yang Hyun Suk was named as a suspect in the case, questioning did not take place via official summons. The police sought Yang Hyun Suk out directly at the YG Entertainment offices. According to Channel A’s report, two police officers, including the head of the investigation team, questioned him there for about an hour.

Two months later, the police forwarded the case to prosecutors and at the summary trial, Yang Hyuk received a fine of 3 million won (about $2500).

A source from the police stated that it was unusual for police to seek out a suspect instead of summoning him for questioning and said, “Going directly to a suspect for questioning usually only happens when the suspect is an elderly person who can’t move around easily.”

The investigation team at the time has stated that there were no issues with the method of questioning. A source from the team said, “He said that he was busy and had a lot on his schedule or whatever. We change our method according to the situation, so I don’t think it was as far as [special treatment].”

Channel A also reported on August 15 that the task force’s investigation into B.I’s case has been at a standstill for two months. A source from the police said, “Ms. Han [the informant] has not responded to the police’s investigation.”

The prosecutors, who received the case from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, have also come to a standstill, having done little apart from questioning Ms. Han’s lawyer once on July 2. A source from the prosecutor’s office stated, “Ms. Han’s representatives have put their hopes in the police investigation.”

It was also reported earlier this year that Yang Hyun Suk had violated the Building Act multiple times with a building in the Mapo District. It is unknown if the building in that case is the same building as the one in Channel A’s new report.

Yang Hyun Suk is also currently being investigated on suspicions of prostitution mediation and illegal overseas gambling.

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