Singer and actor Lee Seung-gi made a significant decision after marrying his wife, Lee Da-in. After two years of marriage, he chose to sever ties with his in-laws. Lee said that the trust within the family has been damaged to a level that makes it difficult to restore, leading him to make this decision, and Lee Da-in also supported this choice after much deliberation with her husband.

According to the legal community on the 29th, the Financial Crimes Joint Investigation Unit of the Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Director General Ahn Chang-joo) obtained a warrant for the arrest of Lee, who is the father-in-law of Lee Seung-gi and married to actress Kyeon Mi-ri, on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act.

The prosecution is said to have detected indications that Lee was involved in stock price manipulation while investigating the QUANTAPIA stock price manipulation case, which was reported to the Securities and Futures Commission. Previously, the prosecution indicted nine individuals for illegally profiting about 20 billion won while promoting QUANTAPIA's quantum image sensor business and artificially inflating stock prices. They were found to have manipulated stock prices by leaking pre-acquisition information regarding the mergers and acquisitions of QUANTAPIA and Jungang D&M to artificially buoy their stock prices.

Before this information became known, Lee Seung-gi issued a statement through his agency. He noted, “While I had previously received a fine from the court after the retrial concerning continuous allegations of wrongdoing against my father-in-law, I find myself in a situation where I am once again being indicted by the investigative authorities for similar illegal acts.” The 'similar illegal acts' that Lee referred to appear to involve his father-in-law's involvement in the QUANTAPIA stock price manipulation case.

Lee has also been indicted for artificially inflating the stock price of company A, a KOSDAQ-listed company where he served as a director from 2014 until February 2016, and profiting from the sale of shares acquired through a capital increase. The Supreme Court overturned the previous trial's acquittal of Lee and three others who had been indicted for violating the Capital Markets Act and remanded the case to the Seoul High Court last June.

Having been embroiled in negative issues before marriage and facing criticism, Lee Seung-gi stated, “Did I embezzle 26 billion won through stock manipulation, creating 300,000 victims? This is a clear misconception. I do not know where some reporters and YouTubers gathered this information, but it is completely unfounded.” He defended his in-laws, and when the Supreme Court ordered a retrial, he said, “I plead that you do not touch my family. This matter pertains to events prior to our marriage, and it is an issue for our family to resolve.”

However, during the press conference for the movie 'Large Family,' Lee Seung-gi's stance appeared to have slightly changed. He remarked, “I believe some of my past statements have created the misunderstanding that ‘the family is not at fault.’ What I have consistently stated is that my in-laws’ matters are their own, and I have indeed formed an independent family with my parents and my wife after marriage.” He added, “It does not seem appropriate for me to further comment on this matter. I, too, think I should act more prudently if I have caused misunderstandings.”

Through this, Lee Seung-gi, who showed a rift in family relations, ultimately chose ‘severance.’ He expressed, “As someone who had been waiting for results based on trust within the family, I cannot contain my despair regarding my father-in-law's misconduct,” adding, “The trust among our family members has been damaged to a level that makes it difficult to restore, and my wife and I have decided to sever ties with my in-laws after much contemplation.” This suggests that the decision to sever ties with his in-laws was not only Lee Seung-gi's choice but that his wife, Lee Da-in, also agreed.

Lee Seung-gi stated, “I deeply reflect on the thoughtless statements I made regarding my father-in-law last year without fully reviewing the related matters. I believe that appropriate punishment must be meted out for illegal acts and sincerely apologize for the feelings of the victims who must have suffered because of my hasty judgment. I also express my heartfelt apologies to everyone who has believed in and understood me.” He indicated that he will strive to have a more correct set of values and live with a sense of responsibility for a healthy society.

Lee Seung-gi, who has been loved for his 'perfect man' image since his debut, has been caught up in negative public opinion due to his romance and marriage. With the so-called 'in-law risk' surrounding him, it remains to be seen whether Lee, who has chosen to sever ties with his in-laws, can actively return to the public eye as he did before.

[Photo] OSEN DB, SNS

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