Seoul, South Korea —The billionaire founder of South Korean tech giant Kakao Corp, Kim Beom-su was arrested on Tuesday on accusations of manipulating stocks during the acquisition of a K-Pop agency last year. The case is the latest legal twist for Kakao, which runs South Korea’s largest chat app, after the company and another executive went on trial last year for alleged wrongdoing during the same acquisition. Kim, who is also known as Brian Kim, is seen as a visionary in South Korea’s digital industry for building Kakao’s group of affiliates – worth 86 trillion won ($62 billion) by assets – from the ground up since launching the chat app in 2010. Any case against him could jeopardize Kakao’s investments into artificial intelligence as well as its overseas expansion plans, industry experts said. Prosecutors say Kim was involved in manipulating the stock price of SM Entertainment in February last year to hinder a competitor, Hybe, from acquiring it. KakaoTalk logo on the App Store Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Getty Images Kim has denied the accusations, saying he never ordered or tolerated any illegal activity, the company said in a statement. He has so far not been formally charged. Kakao and Kim’s lawyer did not immediately provide further comment on Tuesday. The high-profile tech entrepreneur is the largest shareholder of Kakao Corp, with a 24% stake that he and affiliated entities control. Seoul Southern District Court approved the arrest warrant to prevent the potential destruction of evidence, and because Kim was a flight risk, a court official said on Tuesday. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 18: Winter, Karina, Giselle and Ningning of girl group aespa perform onstage during the Circle Chart Music Awards at the KSPO Dome on February 18, 2023 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage) Han Myung-Gu/WireImage/Getty Images Related article Kakao wins control of K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment Kim is being held at the Seoul Nambu Detention Centre, a prosecution spokesperson said. His arrest will last up to 20 days, during which the prosecutors will investigate further before deciding whether to indict him, according to South Korean criminal procedure. The outcome of any case against Kim could jeopardize Kakao group’s control of online bank arm KakaoBank Corp, since the country’s financial rules restrict those convicted of financial crime from owning a more than a 10% stake in a bank. Kakao is also likely to be subject to regulatory scrutiny, making it tougher for the company to make major decisions on investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and overseas business expansion, industry experts said. The company plans to introduce new AI services this year. Kakao Corp shares dropped 3.4% during morning trade to the lowest since November, after falling 24% year-to-date.