[Yonhap News Photo]
Prosecutors raided the headquarters of South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Tuesday to seize evidence over allegations that the daughter of a longtime friend of President Park Geun-hye took illicit corporate sponsorship for her equestrian training.
Samsung president Park Sang-jin heads the Korea Equestrian Federation, which is suspected of having revised regulations to fund a training program for the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, who has been accused of meddling in state affairs and receiving illegal corporate donations by using her ties with Park.
There have been unverified allegations that Samsung sent some 3.5 billion won (3.07 million US dollars) to a company controlled by Choi. Her 20-year-daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, is suspected of receiving illegal corporate sponsorship for her equestrian education by a German trainer.
Choi was also accused of siphoning off money from two public foundations created with cash donations from dozens of conglomerates. Ahn Jong-Beom, one of Park's confidants, has been arrested for his alleged role in peddling influence to collect money from businessmen.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
