Former Big Bang singer Seungri has reportedly had his prison sentence reduced to 18 months from the original three years.
Earlier today (January 27), South Korean media outlet No Cut News reported that the High Military Court of the Ministry Of Defense in Seoul had held the final appeal trial for Seungri, over his involvement in the Burning Sun scandal. During the trial, the former idol’s prison time was alleged reduced by half from three years to 18 months.
No Cut News also claims that as Seungri has, as of writing, already served roughly five months of his existing sentence, and he will reportedly be released from prison in a year’s time if the revision of his sentence is finalised.
Neither Seungri’s representatives nor the military court have issued official responses to the report.
The outcome of Seungri’s previous hearing in August 2021 for the case saw him receive a three-year prison sentence as well as an order from the court to pay ₩1.15billion (roughly £700,000) in restitution, for nine separate charges.
Among the counts are convictions for procuring prostitutes for investors from December 2015 to January 2016, misappropriating about ₩528million (roughly £327,000) from his nightclub’s funds and habitual gambling. Prior to today’s appeal trial, Seungri had vehemently denied all charges and his involvement in the Burning Sun scandal in all past hearings.
However, the alleged reduction in his sentence purportedly arrived as a result of Seungri now reportedly pleading guilty to all charges brought against him, along with an expression of formal intention to reflect on his actions and charges.
The Burning Sun nightclub was the setting for a controversy in 2019 that encompassed allegations of rape and spycam usage. It also involved a number of the Korean entertainment industry’s biggest names. Aside from Seungri, singer Jung Joon-young and CNBLUE’s Lee Jong Hyun and former Highlight member Yong Jun-hyung were also linked to the controversy.