Seoul Police Seek Arrest Warrant for HYBE Founder Bang Si-hyuk
It follows a lengthy investigation into alleged securities fraud
Seoul police are seeking a warrant to detain Bang Si-hyuk, Chair and Founder of South Korean entertainment giant HYBE, home to K-pop acts such as BTS, Katseye and more. The move escalates the ongoing investigation into alleged securities fraud related to the company’s public listing in 2020.
Catching up:
Authorities allege that in 2019 Bang misled investors by assuring them there were no immediate plans to debut on the stock market.
As a result, some shareholders reportedly sold their stakes to a private equity fund linked to his associates.
As per Variety, once HYBE went public in 2020 the fund exited its position for a significant profit after the listing.
Bang is suspected of having a prior deal to receive around 30% of those profits, estimated at around KRW190 billion (about $129 million).
Bang and HYBE deny any wrongdoing.
A court must approve the warrant before Bang can be detained.
Ongoing investigation:
Investigators were informed of Bang’s alleged conduct in late 2024, and searched the Korea Exchange and HYBE’s headquarters in 2025.
In August that year Bang was hit with a travel ban, to which he is still subject.
Variety reports that, upon news of the arrest warrant, HYBE’s stock dropped 2.9%, just as South Korea’s broader KOSPI index was up 1.8%.
What they said:
A translated statement by Bang’s legal team, as per Digital Music News: “We regret that an arrest warrant has been sought despite our client’s long-standing cooperation with the investigation. We will continue to fully comply with all legal procedures and do our utmost to present our case.”
👋 Disclosures & Transparency Block
This story was written with information from Digital Music News and Variety.
We covered it because it’s news in the ongoing criminal investigation around Bang Si-hyuk.
