K-POP IDOL DRUG SCANDAL

[Anchor Lead]

Singer B.I., who allegedly used illegal drugs three years ago, has admitted to the charges during interrogation. Police summoned B.I. as a suspect, and will soon subpoena the former YG Entertainment chief producer, Yang Hyun-seok, who is suspected of attempting to cover up the case three years ago.

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​Singer B.I., whose real name is Kim Han-bin, has undergone 14 hours of police interrogation. Kim is facing charges of using marijuana that he had purchased from his acquaintance in 2016. The singer has admitted to some of the charges during the police interrogation. He was initially subpoenaed as a witness, but his status was later changed to a suspect.

[Soundbite] B.I.(SINGER) : "(Did you text him asking to send you marijuana?) I am sorry for the disturbance."

The allegations were raised after a public interest whistleblower reported the case to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission back in June. When the person who reported the case was investigated for alleged drug abuse back in 2016, he originally testified that he provided marijuana to Kim at the singer's request, but he later denied it. He claimed that the former chief producer of YG Entertainment, Yang Hyun-seok, forced him to change his testimony.

[Soundbite] BANG JUNG-HYUN(ATTORNEY FOR PUBLIC-INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWER(JUN. 2019)) : "Yang Hyun-seok pressured him to change his testimony about B.I. by promising him a reward and assuring him that he would not be punished."

Police called in the whistleblower for questioning two days ago before summoning Kim the following day. With the investigation gaining speed, police will soon subpoena Yang to find out if he indeed attempted to cover up the case.