Kang Byung-kyu |
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
A famous television show host is suspected of having gambled habitually through an Internet gamble site, a charge he denies.
The prosecution plans to summon Kang Byung-kyu, a baseball player turned TV show host, for allegedly betting of billions of won on illegal games, the Joongang Ilbo reported Wednesday.
Kang is one of 130 people detected gambling on the site, the prosecution said adding that he sent 1.6 billion won ($1.2 million) to the site operator and was paid back 1.2 billion won ― a loss of 400 million won.
The prosecution arrested four people who set up a gambling house in the Philippines and broadcast Baccarat games live via Internet. Visitors to the site bet money on the game, earning the four 100 billion won over 18 months.
Kang's manager denied the allegation, saying he didn't even know how to play ``go-stop,'' a popular Korean game.
However, prosecutors said they had secured sufficient evidence for the charge.
Additionally, Kang has been criticized for wasting government money as the leader of a group of celebrities who went to the Beijing Olympics to cheer on the Korean team. In August, the government paid 40 celebrities to be a cheer leading squad. The 40 spent 210 million won over 10 days, lodging at five-star hotels and taking prestige class plane seats.
Kang hosts the KBS program ``Vitamine,'' but the company said Monday that it was replacing him with another announcer. The broadcaster said the replacement was because Kang's appearance fee was too high, adding it had nothing to do with the gambling or cheering squad incidents.
rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr
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