K-pop star and ex-Big Bang member Seungri jailed in prostitution case
'I deeply apologise again to our people and everyone around me who has been hurt and suffered damage,' Seungri said as he was sentenced
K-pop star Seungri has been jailed for three years by a court in South Korea for crimes including providing prostitutes to foreign businessmen.
The former Big Bang member left the hugely popular boy band in 2019 after media reports of a sex scandal involving other big names in the Korean entertainment industry.
Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, was indicted in January 2020 on charges including providing prostitutes for business investors from Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong from 2015 to 2016.
He was also convicted of embezzling funds from a nightclub he ran in Seoul and violating laws prohibiting overseas gambling by betting heavily at foreign casinos from 2013 to 2017.
He denied most of the charges.
His case was transferred to a military court after he signed up for 21 months of military service in March last year. Military service is a requirement for most men in South Korea because of the threat from North Korea.
Seungri was also fined 1.15 billion won (£714,772).
The K-pop star, who was wearing a combat uniform, shook his head repeatedly as the judge announced the verdict, Yonhap news agency reported.
He was taken into custody after the ruling in Yongin, near Seoul.
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Speaking to reporters, Seungri said: "I deeply apologise again to our people and everyone around me who has been hurt and suffered damage.
"Instead of making a comment here, I will rather faithfully participate in investigations by giving truthful answers (to questions of investigators). Thank you."
In 2019, singer Jung Joon-young was jailed for six years and Choi Jong-hoon, former keyboardist of rock band F.T. Island, was sentenced to five years after they were found guilty of illicit sexual relations with a woman who was unable to resist.
K-pop group Big Bang, which includes G-Dragon and Taeyang, attracted huge followings in Asia and across the world after its debut in 2006.