Yang Chi-seung, who said he was “forced out of his gym,” loses across the board ... and is also ordered to pay legal costs

[Financial News] Yang Chi-seung, known as a personal trainer to famous entertainers, lost an administrative lawsuit against the Seoul Gangnam District Office over the eviction of his gym.
According to legal sources on the 15th, Administrative Division 13 of the Seoul Administrative Court, presided over by Jin Hyun-seop, dismissed all of the claims in Yang’s suit against the head of the Gangnam District Office, which sought to have the restitution charge declared invalid. The court also ordered Yang to pay the litigation costs. It did not disclose the specific reasons for its ruling.
Yang signed a lease with a private developer in 2018 and had operated a gym in a building at a public parking lot in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The building was developed under an arrangement in which a private operator built the facility and donated it to Gangnam District, used it free of charge for 20 years, and then handed over the management and operating rights.
The issue arose in November 2022, when the developer’s period of free use expired. After taking over the building’s management and operating rights, the Gangnam District Office asked Yang and the other tenants to vacate. Yang protested, saying he had not been told when he signed the contract that he would have to leave once the free-use period ended.
Gangnam District also imposed a restitution charge of tens of millions of won, saying Yang had occupied the building without authorization. Yang challenged the decision and filed an administrative lawsuit, but his claim was rejected.
Yang had also suffered a series of losses in a suit filed by Gangnam District seeking possession of the building. He ultimately closed the gym last July, and his defeat was finalized in October when the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal without further review.
Yang is also facing a criminal trial over alleged violations of the Public Property and Commodity Management Act in connection with the unauthorized use of the building. After receiving a summary order imposing a fine of 1 million won, Yang challenged it and requested a formal trial. The first hearing was held last July.
[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter