[Full Text] Lee Seung-gi: "We Will Hold Cha Ga-won Accountable for the 10.5 Billion Won Jeonse Fraud Allegation Through Investigative Authorities"

[Sportschosun Baek Ji-eun] Lee Seung-gi's side expressed anger over Cha Ga-won's position regarding the 10.5 billion won jeonse deposit.

Yoon Yong-seok, an attorney at Hyunmyeong Law Firm who represents Lee Seung-gi, said on the 11th, "Cha's side continues to repeat false claims and distort the essence of the matter. Lee Seung-gi will later reveal the details of Cha Ga-won's criminal allegations through investigative authorities and hold him strictly accountable."

He added, "Lee Seung-gi's termination of his exclusive contract was due to unpaid settlements. Lee Seung-gi covered the maintenance fees that Cha Ga-won had agreed to pay, as well as unpaid wages for on-site staff and loan interest." He emphasized, "Cha Ga-won should first fulfill his duties as an agency head by resolving unpaid wages and unsettled payments owed to partner companies, executives, employees, and affiliated artists. If he denies the jeonse fraud allegation, he only needs to properly return the deposit when the lease ends."

Earlier, Lee Seung-gi's side claimed through Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)'s "PD Note" that he moved into a luxury villa in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, at Cha's suggestion, but was asked to pay a jeonse deposit of 10.5 billion won, more than three times the market price.

In response, attorney Hyun Dong-yeop, the legal representative for Cha's side, posted a rebuttal video on his own channel and countered, saying, "This is not jeonse fraud, but fraud to terminate the exclusive contract." Cha's side said the jeonse deposit for the villa where Lee Seung-gi lives was set after a lawful appraisal, and that the contract was made at Lee's request to receive the house as an in-kind payment instead of an exclusive contract fee. They added that because Lee Seung-gi already owned an apartment in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, taking ownership of Cha's villa as well would have exposed him to a large comprehensive real estate tax bill, so he chose a jeonse contract to avoid tax risks.

The following is the full official statement from Lee Seung-gi's side.

Cha's side continues to repeat false claims and distort the essence of the matter.

Lee Seung-gi will later reveal the details of Cha Ga-won's criminal allegations through investigative authorities and hold him strictly accountable.

However, we would like to make a few facts clear.

First, Lee Seung-gi's termination of his exclusive contract was due to unpaid settlements. In addition, it was agreed that maintenance fees would be offset by Cha Ga-won, who served as the representative of the apartment maintenance association, until the unpaid settlements were paid. However, even that continued to be overdue, and Lee Seung-gi paid the full amount on June 4.

Second, Lee Seung-gi personally paid the unpaid wages of on-site staff in advance. The loan interest that Cha Ga-won claimed to have covered was also booked as a company advance without consent from the beginning, and Lee Seung-gi ultimately bore that cost.

Third, Cha Ga-won should first fulfill his duties as an agency head by resolving unpaid wages and unsettled payments owed to partner companies, including the laundry shop owner, as well as executives, employees, and affiliated artists.

Fourth, if Cha Ga-won denies that this case is jeonse fraud, he only needs to properly fulfill his basic duty as a landlord and return the deposit when the lease agreement expires soon.

Thank you.

Reporter Baek Ji-eun silk781220@sportschosun.com