Tycoons grilled in scandal involving President Park: Yonhap

By Park Sae-jin Posted : November 13, 2016, 19:00 Updated : November 13, 2016, 19:00

A sedan believed to be carrying a business tycoon rolls into the office of prosecutors.[Yonhap]


A number of South Korea's tycoons, including Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, were summoned by prosecutors over the weekend for questioning over their companies' cash donations to two dubious foundations controlled by President Park Geun-hye's scandal-ridden confidante Choi Soon-sil, prosecution sources said Sunday.

The sources said the special prosecution team investigating the corruption and influence-peddling scandal surrounding Choi called in and questioned Lee, the heir apparent of Samsung Group; LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo; SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and CJ Group Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik on Sunday for questioning about their separate one-on-one meetings with the president in Seoul in July last year, which led to their groups' massive donations to the two foundations later.'

Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo, Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn and SK SUPEX Council Chairman Kim Chang-geun underwent questioning at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office between Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, the sources said without elaborating.

Prosecutors reportedly questioned the leaders of Samsung, Hyundai Motor, LG, CJ, Hanwha and SK groups to find out how their one-on-one meetings were arranged after their collective meeting with the president at Cheong Wa Dae on July 24 last year and what was discussed at the meetings.

At the group meeting held over lunch, Park called on 17 local conglomerate leaders to extend support to the creation of the Mir and K-Sports foundations set up to promote Korean culture and sports abroad.

Park reportedly met separately with seven of them the following day at Cheong Wa Dae and other locations.

Leading conglomerates, led by the seven groups, donated a combined 77.4 billion won (67.4 million US dollars) to the two organizations. Samsung donated 20.4 billion won to the two foundations, followed by Hyundai Motor with 12.8 billion won, SK with 11.1 billion won, LG with 7.8 billion won and Hanwha with 2.5 billion won.

Prosecutors said the rare summons and questioning of conglomerate chairmen over this weekend has come prior to the direct questioning of President Park early this week.

(Yonhap)
기사 이미지 확대 보기
닫기