Comedian Lee Jin Ho has been dismissed from his position as an ambassador for his hometown, the city of Hwaseong, after confessing to illegal gambling.
On October 17, Hwaseong City announced that Lee Jin Ho was removed from his position in accordance with the "Hwaseong City Ambassador Operational Ordinance," which allows for dismissal if the ambassador's conduct damages the city's reputation or is deemed inappropriate for the role.
Previously, on October 14, Lee Jin Ho was embroiled in a controversy as he revealed on his social media that he had been involved in illegal online gambling.
Lee Jin Ho confessed, "In 2020, I started playing on an illegal online gambling site by chance, and as a result, I ended up with an unbearable amount of debt."
He added that he is working hard to quit gambling and repay the money he borrowed from acquaintances and that he will cooperate fully with the police investigation.
It was reported that due to his illegal gambling, Lee turned to private loans and his debt to loan companies alone amounts to 1.3 billion KRW (approximately 1 million USD).
To date, Lee Jin Ho’s total debt is said to be around 2.3 billion KRW (approximately 1.7 million USD).
The controversy grew further when it was revealed that Lee Jin Ho had borrowed large sums of money from fellow celebrities, including Lee Soo Geun, BTS's Jimin, and Young Tak by lying about his situation.
As a result, Lee Jin Ho has stepped down from the JTBC variety show 'Knowing Bros,' where he had been a regular cast member since 2021, and various YouTube videos featuring him have been set to private.
Now, he has also been dismissed from his role as an ambassador for Hwaseong City, his hometown.
Lee Jin Ho, who hails from the town of Janganmyeon in Hwaseong City, was appointed as a city ambassador in March of last year with a two-year term. He had been actively participating in various events and festivals to promote the city.
The police have currently launched a preliminary investigation into Lee Jin Ho.
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