HYBE Denies Seeking US Embassy Help to Lift Chairman Bang Si-hyuk's Travel Ban

The Korea Times reports on April 20, 2026 that an unspecified party sought a diplomatic exception to allow HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk to travel to the United States, despite a travel ban imposed on him since August 2025 amid a Capital Markets Act investigation. The report claims the US Embassy sent a letter to the Korean National Police Agency requesting the ban be lifted, citing the US 250th anniversary (July 4, 2026) celebrations and BTS's ARIRANG World Tour's impending launch in the US as cultural grounds. HYBE officially denied having requested the diplomatic intervention. Bang Si-hyuk, who founded Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE) in 2005 and discovered and developed BTS, has been barred from international travel as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged securities irregularities. The Korea Herald also covered the story, noting HYBE's denial. The controversy emerged five days before BTS opens the North American leg of the Arirang World Tour on April 25 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.