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Two local businessmen were arrested yesterday over the alleged kidnapping and beating of another to gain exclusive rights to secure a U.S. no-holds-barred fighting event.
The plan to host a round of the popular but violent Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) began in June, according to Seoul district prosecutors, when a local businessman identified as Mr. Won suggested to a colleague, identified as Mr. Kim, that they should pursue the Korean rights.
The event is considered one of the cruelest spectacles in the world, where free-style fighters engage each other inside a cage-like ring with few rules. It is banned from national television in the United States, but popular with cable providers.
Prosecutors said Mr. Kim and Mr. Won traveled to the United States together and paid $300,000 for a provisional contract to establish UFC-sanctioned events in Korea. They said Mr. Won then started gathering other Korean investors for the plan.
However, prosecutors contend that Mr. Kim became upset with Mr. WonĄŻs attempt to bring in more investors, and asked a friend identified as Mr. Jeong to kidnap him.
Mr. Kim and Mr. Jeong allegedly confined Mr. Won to a hotel room in southern Seoul where they repeatedly beat him with baseball bats and extorted 600 million won ($512,000) from him, according to prosecutors.
The Seoul District ProsecutorsĄŻ Office arrested and charged both Mr. Kim and Mr. Jeong yesterday.
Mr. Kim, however, accused Mr. Won of fraud, according to prosecutors, saying he tried to exclude him while attracting other investors.
The prosecutorsĄŻ office said broadcasts of fist-fighting events were a lucrative business in Korea, and that Mr. Kim and Mr. Won appeared to get into financial trouble in their attempt to monopolize the U.S. eventĄŻs business rights here.
Such events have created sensations in Korea since last December, when fights owned by U.S. and Japanese organizers were first broadcast on a cable network here.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/20030...090409041.html
The plan to host a round of the popular but violent Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) began in June, according to Seoul district prosecutors, when a local businessman identified as Mr. Won suggested to a colleague, identified as Mr. Kim, that they should pursue the Korean rights.
The event is considered one of the cruelest spectacles in the world, where free-style fighters engage each other inside a cage-like ring with few rules. It is banned from national television in the United States, but popular with cable providers.
Prosecutors said Mr. Kim and Mr. Won traveled to the United States together and paid $300,000 for a provisional contract to establish UFC-sanctioned events in Korea. They said Mr. Won then started gathering other Korean investors for the plan.
However, prosecutors contend that Mr. Kim became upset with Mr. WonĄŻs attempt to bring in more investors, and asked a friend identified as Mr. Jeong to kidnap him.
Mr. Kim and Mr. Jeong allegedly confined Mr. Won to a hotel room in southern Seoul where they repeatedly beat him with baseball bats and extorted 600 million won ($512,000) from him, according to prosecutors.
The Seoul District ProsecutorsĄŻ Office arrested and charged both Mr. Kim and Mr. Jeong yesterday.
Mr. Kim, however, accused Mr. Won of fraud, according to prosecutors, saying he tried to exclude him while attracting other investors.
The prosecutorsĄŻ office said broadcasts of fist-fighting events were a lucrative business in Korea, and that Mr. Kim and Mr. Won appeared to get into financial trouble in their attempt to monopolize the U.S. eventĄŻs business rights here.
Such events have created sensations in Korea since last December, when fights owned by U.S. and Japanese organizers were first broadcast on a cable network here.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/20030...090409041.html
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