On March 4, a first trial was held at the Seoul Central District Court for producer Moon Young Il, CEO Kim Chang Hwan, and president Lee Jung Hyun of Media Line Entertainment.

Producer Moon Young Il was charged for chronic and special violence, CEO Kim Chang Hwan for child abuse and aiding in abuse, and president Lee Jung Hyun for violation of the Child Welfare Law.

At the trial, the prosecution stated that producer Moon Young Il had physically harmed former The East Light members Lee Seok Chul and Lee Seung Hyun in 31 instances and mentally abused them. The prosecution also said that CEO Kim Chang Hwan had offered electronic cigarettes to Lee Seok Chul, who was a minor at that time, physically abused him, and aided and abetted producer Moon Young Il’s violence.

Producer Moon Young Il admitted to all charges, and his lawyer stated, “The charges are true, but the defendant is being shown as someone who habitually abused [Lee Seok Chul and Lee Seung Hyun] for three years and enjoyed doing so. This is not true. He had a close relationship with the victims.”

CEO Kim Chang Hwan and president Lee Jung Hyun denied the charges saying that they had not engaged in, aided, or abetted child abuse. Instead, they stated that they had protected the victims. They also disagreed with the use of testimonies made by six people including Lee Seok Chul, Lee Seung Hyun, and their parents at investigation offices. As a result, the prosecution made the decision to summon Lee Seok Chul and Lee Seung Hyun to the court as witnesses.

The next trial will be held on April 19 at 3 p.m. KST and an interrogation of witnesses will take place that day.

The issue between siblings Lee Seok Chul and Lee Seung Hyun and the Media Line Entertainment representatives began last October when the siblings revealed that they had been assaulted several times by producer Moon Young Il and that CEO Kim Chang Hwan had abetted the violence. In response, Kim Chang Hwan held a press conference on December 26 with former The East Light members Lee Eun Sung and Jung Sa Gang in which he refuted the allegations. Following the press conference, Lee Seok Cheol and Lee Sung Hyun refuted the denials at the Prosecutor’s Office. The siblings have also filed an arbitration request for unpaid wages against Media Line.

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