Park Na-rae's former managers have completely denied allegations of extortion, claiming their demand for 250 million won was merely for unpaid wages and severance. They assert there was no intent to extort money. The court has decided to summon Park Na-rae as a witness for the next hearing.
The Seoul Western District Court held the second trial on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts against A and B, former managers of Park Na-rae, on October 20.
The prosecution alleges that the two pressured Park Na-rae by threatening to expose her personal life and misuse of company funds, demanding 250 million won, which is 10% of the company's revenue for 2024. No money was exchanged, leading to the conclusion that the crime was attempted.
During the hearing, B's legal team denied all charges, stating they only sought legitimate payments owed after the termination of their employment and did not threaten Park Na-rae or conspire with A. When the court asked if they were claiming they demanded unpaid wages rather than a percentage of company revenue, B's team confirmed this.
A also denied extortion charges during the first trial held on September 29. A's team argued they were exercising their rightful claims for severance and performance bonuses and had no intention of extorting money or threatening anyone in exchange for media tips.
A faces additional charges of embezzling company funds. Prosecutors have charged A with embezzlement and fraud related to computer use. A is accused of transferring approximately 24 million won from Park Na-rae's company account to a corporate account he managed and receiving about 44 million won for event service fees, some of which he allegedly misused.
A's team contends that the funds were paid as performance bonuses or with Park Na-rae's consent. However, during the previous trial, A admitted to some charges of embezzlement while denying most of the other allegations.
The legality of evidence collection procedures was also a point of contention during the trial. A's team claimed that Park Na-rae illegally collected evidence by listening to recordings of consultations with A's attorney after the complaint was filed. When the court inquired if this was a claim regarding illegally obtained evidence, A's team confirmed this.
The court plans to summon Park Na-rae for questioning at the next hearing, scheduled for December 1.
A was arrested in July on charges of attempted extortion and embezzlement and was subsequently transferred to prosecutors. In August, prosecutors indicted A while B was indicted without detention.
The legal dispute between Park Na-rae and her former managers has been ongoing since December of last year. The former managers have accused Park Na-rae of workplace harassment and failing to pay for expenses, filing complaints for special injury and defamation, and also submitting a petition to the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office. Park Na-rae has countersued her former managers for attempted extortion and embezzlement. She has suspended her broadcasting activities amid the controversy.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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