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Bang Si-hyuk has been accused of indulging in fraudulent and unfair trading under the Capital Markets Act.
Bang could face severe penalties if found guilty.
HYBE founder Bang Si-hyuk has been summoned by the Seoul Metropolitan Policy Agency once again in connection with the ongoing investigation regarding the unfair share trading case. As reported by The Korea Herald, the HYBE founder was issued fifth summons by the agency on Tuesday, November 18.
While more details are awaited, the publication also reported that the previous round of questioning was not completed and therefore, Bang Si-hyuk has been asked to appear again. This is for the fifth time that HYBE founder has been summoned. He was twice grilled by the agency earlier this month and was also questioned on October 15 and 22.
Why Is HYBE’s Founder Summoned?
Bang Si-hyuk, founder and chairman of Hybe – the South Korean entertainment company which handles BTS, has been accused of indulging in fraudulent and unfair trading under the Capital Markets Act.
The financial watchdog is investigating Bang over allegations that he misled investors by denying any plans for an IPO. With this, he encouraged them to sell their HYBE shares to a private equity fund (PEF) linked to him. This was around the time when HYBE was secretly preparing to go public. Therefore, when the company eventually did file for an IPO, Bang reportedly benefited through a 30% return-sharing deal with the PEF, a transaction not disclosed during the IPO process.
This means that if found guilty and the gains exceed 5 billion KRW (approximately $3.64 million), Bang could face life imprisonment or a minimum of five years in prison.
HYBE Founder Promises Cooperation With Police
Previously, Bang also wrote an email to the employees of his company and assured them that he would fully cooperate with the investigators. “Over the last year, much has been said and written about me in the press. Increasingly, I believe these events are causing confusion and concern for you, as well as our artists, fans, and partners,” the email read, as reported by Forbes.
“I will fully and transparently work with investigators and put these allegations to rest,” Bang said and then added, “In particular, I feel a deep sense of regret knowing that our members and artists, who should be focused solely on their creative and professional goals, might be suffering because of this situation … I understand how my absence may have contributed to confusion and frustration.”
HYBE manages some of the biggest names in K-pop, including BTS, Tomorrow X Together, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, BOYNEXTDOOR, and KATSEYE.
Chirag Sehgal works as a Senior Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing …Read More
Chirag Sehgal works as a Senior Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing … Read More
Seoul, South Korea
November 18, 2025, 15:24 IST
