Amid reports that actor Kim Seung-woo has been sued on charges of taking 22 million won from an acquaintance, Kim's representatives have released an official statement through his legal counsel.
On the afternoon of November 12, Law Firm Suho, which is representing Kim Seung-woo, explained the situation at the time, stating, "This incident was a playful act that took place during a drinking gathering among close acquaintances. It was an open situation observed by everyone present." They added, "They were scheduled to meet again a few hours later, at which point he planned to return the funds. Since actor Kim Seung-woo had no intention whatsoever of unlawfully acquiring another person's money, there was no criminal intent at all."
Emphasizing that Kim's actions were a prank without criminal intent, they also stated that the money had already been returned. Suho said, "Because the two were unable to meet the following day, actor Kim Seung-woo immediately returned the funds to the complainant via bank transfer, further demonstrating that there was no criminal intent. Afterwards, both parties remained close like brothers without any issues, and actor Kim Seung-woo even provided financial assistance when the complainant was in difficult circumstances."
Suho added, "For reasons unknown, the complainant is making claims that do not align with the substantive truth and has even filed a criminal complaint. We intend to respond strongly to this," further noting, "Actor Kim Seung-woo's side has sufficiently clarified the facts to investigative authorities based on relevant materials, and we plan to take strict action following legal procedures against claims that diverge from the truth."
Earlier, Ilyo Shinmun reported that Kim Seung-woo's acquaintance, referred to as A, filed a complaint with the Seoul Gangnam Police Station, claiming that 22 million won in cash was stolen by Kim at an entertainment establishment in Seoul in October 2021.
A is known to be an individual who invested in the drama "The Driver," which was directed by Kim Seung-woo. While the two were close enough to drink together for several years, they have now become embroiled in a legal dispute over this incident.
Despite Kim Seung-woo's explanation, the conflicting stances of both sides suggest the legal battle could be prolonged. Kim's side is reported to have submitted bank transfer records to investigative authorities showing that the money was sent to A after the incident. However, A refutes this, claiming that the transferred funds were for principal investment, agreed-upon profit shares, and repayment of personal loans, and were unrelated to the stolen money.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)
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