15-year prison term sought for Kakao founder in SM stock case

Published Sep 23, 2026 7:53 pm KST

Kim Beom-su, Kakao founder and head of its Future Initiative Center, arrives at the Seoul High Court in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

Prosecutors sought a 15-year prison term for Kakao founder Kim Beom-su, Wednesday, during an appeal over his alleged involvement in inflating SM Entertainment's stock price during a fierce 2023 takeover battle for the K-pop agency.

In a final hearing at the Seoul High Court, prosecutors asked the court to sentence Kim, head of Kakao’s Future Initiative Center, to 15 years in prison and impose a 500 million won ($370,000) fine for violating the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act.

They also requested a 12-year prison term and a 500 million won fine for Bae Jae-hyun, Kakao’s former chief investment officer. Prosecutors sought 500 million won fines each for Kakao and Kakao Entertainment.

Kim and other defendants are accused of keeping SM Entertainment’s share price above HYPE’s tender-offer price in February 2023 to obstruct the rival entertainment company’s acquisition attempt.

The prosecution argued that the lower court failed to properly assess clear evidence supporting the charges and misapplied the law. It urged the appellate court to overturn the defendant’s acquittals.

发布于2026年9月23日晚上7:53（韩国标准时间）

Kakao创始人兼未来倡议中心负责人金范洙周三抵达首尔高等法院。（韩联社）

周三，检方在对 Kakao 创始人金范洙的上诉中，寻求判处其 15 年监禁。金范洙被控在 2023 年韩国流行音乐经纪公司 SM Entertainment 的激烈收购战中抬高该公司股价。

在首尔高等法院的最终听证会上，检察官要求法院判处 Kakao 未来倡议中心负责人金某 15 年有期徒刑，并处以 5 亿韩元（约合 37 万美元）的罚款，理由是其违反了《金融投资服务和资本市场法》。

他们还要求判处Kakao前首席投资官裴宰贤12年监禁并处罚金5亿韩元。检方则要求对Kakao及其关联公司Kakao Entertainment分别处以5亿韩元的罚款。

金某和其他被告被指控在 2023 年 2 月将 SM 娱乐公司的股价维持在 HYPE 的收购要约价格之上，以阻挠这家竞争对手娱乐公司进行收购。

检方认为，下级法院未能正确评估支持指控的明确证据，并且适用法律错误。检方敦促上诉法院推翻被告的无罪判决。