[Sportschosun, Jo Min-jung] A former manager who exposed allegations of abuse of power by broadcaster Park Na-rae has been detained and sent to prosecutors on charges of attempted extortion and embezzlement. Park Na-rae has also been referred to prosecutors over related allegations, and with the former manager now also detained and sent to prosecutors, the legal battle between the two sides, which has continued since late last year, has entered a new phase.
According to police on the 21st, Yongsan Police Station in Seoul detained A, Park Na-rae's former manager, on the 16th on suspicion of attempted extortion and other charges. Police plan to soon send A and another former manager to prosecutors.
A is accused of demanding an amount equal to 10% of the company's 2024 sales from Park Na-rae's side, claiming that company funds had been used privately by her former boyfriend and others. Police are also said to have found signs that A embezzled about 30 million won in company funds. Until now, attention had focused on allegations of abuse of power against Park Na-rae, but with the former manager's attempted extortion and embezzlement charges coming to light, views of the case are expected to shift.
Earlier, after leaving Park Na-rae's agency, A claimed to have suffered abuse of power during work. A also alleged that he was assigned personal errands unrelated to entertainment activities and family-related tasks, and that he effectively worked like a housekeeper. In addition, A raised suspicions that Park Na-rae received IV drips at her home and in her car through so-called "Jusa Eomma" C, and claimed that Park Na-rae's mother and former boyfriend were paid as if they were agency employees.
As the dispute over the former managers' revelations dragged on for a long time, the investigations into Park Na-rae and A have both moved to the prosecution stage.
Meanwhile, Park Na-rae has been referred to prosecutors on charges of special assault and violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, over allegations that she threw a drinking glass and hurled abusive language at former managers. The former managers filed a complaint against Park Na-rae late last year, and Park Na-rae denied the allegations and filed a countercomplaint.
Separately, Park Na-rae is also under prosecution investigation for violating the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act. Police sent her, her mother, and her agency corporation to prosecutors on suspicion of operating a one-person agency without registration. They are accused of running an agency under Park Na-rae's mother as the representative without registering with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism since 2024.
Jo Min-jung mj.cho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
