Prosecutors Seek 15-Year Prison Term for Kakao Founder in Stock Manipulation Case

South Korean prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence and a 500 million won fine for Kakao Corp founder Brian Kim, accusing him of manipulating stock prices during a takeover battle for SM Entertainment. Prosecutors allege Kim orchestrated a 240 billion won stock-rigging scheme to inflate SM's share price and secure Kakao's control of the K-pop label. Kim's trial represents a dramatic fall from grace for one of South Korea's most celebrated tech leaders.