Celebrity dog trainer Kang Hyung Wook, CEO of Bodeum Company, and his wife are under police investigation for allegedly accessing employees' messenger conversations without permission.
On July 3, the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency's Cyber Investigation Unit 1 announced that they had taken over the case from the Namyangju Southern Police Station last month. Kang and his wife, Susan Elder, are being investigated for violating the Information and Communications Network Act.
Previously, some employees of Bodeum Company had filed a complaint against the couple, accusing them of unauthorized access to their private conversations on the company's internal messenger. The employees argued that even though it was a company messenger, unauthorized access to and sharing of personal content should be considered a breach of privacy.
In response, Kang stated on his social media on June 26, "I will cooperate fully with the investigation to reveal the truth," but also warned that he would take firm action, including legal measures, against the spread of false information and defamatory posts.
A police representative said, "We completed the complainant's investigation on the 17th of last month and have requested additional materials from their side. We plan to summon Kang and his wife for questioning within this month."
Meanwhile, Bodeum Company, led by Kang, terminated all services as of June 30. This announcement was made public on the company's website.
Particularly, following allegations of workplace abuse through a job site in May, Kang and his wife admitted to some details, including the unauthorized access to messenger conversations, through their YouTube channel.
On June 26, Kang stated, "Over the past month, I have gone through many experiences that have led me to deeply reflect on my life. Looking back on my time as an inadequate leader, I felt a lot of shame and regret."
He continued, "I deeply regret not being able to show a more responsible side. I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been disappointed and hurt by these events. I am truly sorry."
Regarding the recent accusations by two former employees of violating the Information and Communications Network Act, Kang expressed his intention to fully cooperate with the investigation to uncover the truth.
He also emphasized, "For those who have caused unnecessary misunderstandings about me and my family, spread unfounded false information, or made false accusations, I will take firm actions, including legal measures."
Kang added, "Honestly, my heart has been deeply hurt. However, I believe that enduring this pain is something I must bear, given the immense love and support I have received from many people."
He concluded, "I am stepping down from my role as CEO to focus entirely on my primary profession as a trainer. The encouragement I receive through comments and emails from those awaiting my educational videos gives me a lot of strength. I plan to repay their support by continuing to demonstrate my dedication as a trainer."
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