Bang Si Hyuk case complicated by US Embassy request

South Korea police have confirmed receiving a letter from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul as the investigation into Bang Si Hyuk moves into a supplementary phase.

During a regular press briefing on April 27, a National Police Agency official stated that the letter had been delivered in person. Authorities are currently conducting additional investigation while reviewing whether to reapply for an arrest warrant.

Officials declined to disclose the contents of the letter or how it would be handled, citing both the ongoing investigation and diplomatic sensitivity. The acknowledgment comes about a week after police had initially said no such document had been received, raising questions about prior communications. Authorities suggested that exchanges related to the letter may have occurred earlier as well.

The decision on whether to reapply for an arrest warrant remains pending. Police explained that prosecutors had reviewed the initial request and called for supplementary investigation, which is now underway.

Previously, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Financial Crimes Unit sought an arrest warrant for Bang on April 21 on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act. However, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office rejected the request on April 24, citing insufficient grounds for detention.

Bang is accused of misleading existing investors during HYBE’s pre-IPO process, allegedly inducing them to sell shares before the company went public and then profiting from the transaction. The suspected illicit gains are estimated at around 190 billion KRW (approximately $140 million USD).

According to reports, the U.S. Embassy had earlier requested that Bang and other HYBE executives be allowed to travel to the United States, citing events such as a BTS world tour and the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The unusual move—delivering a request related to a travel ban directly to an investigative body rather than through diplomatic channels—has sparked debate over protocol. Whether police will reapply for the warrant and how they will address the travel restriction issue remain key points to watch.