Seller of Jungkook's hat charged with embezzlement

Jungkook of BTS [BIG HIT MUSIC]

A former foreign ministry employee who allegedly tried to sell BTS member Jungkook’s hat online was referred to the prosecution Tuesday.

The Seocho Police Precinct in western Seoul, which has been investigating the case, handed the suspect over to the prosecution on a charge of embezzlement.

The former foreign ministry employee uploaded a photo of a black hat on an online secondhand market on Oct. 17, claiming that it had been left behind by Jungkook at the foreign ministry building. Jungkook had supposedly visited the ministry to apply for a new passport, according to the former ministry employee who wrote an explanation online.

The former employee set a 10 million won ($7,500) pricetag for the hat. Jungkook’s agency Big Hit Music, a label under HYBE, confirmed that the hat belonged to Jungkook. The former employee had quit before uploading the post on the online market, according to police.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]