Major chicken franchise founder makes deep bow before questioning

By Park Sae-jin Posted : June 21, 2017, 10:54 Updated : June 21, 2017, 10:54

[Yonhap News Photo]


Choi Ho-sig made a deep bow and apologized over an alleged sex scandal involving a female employee as he turned up for questioning by prosecutors, two weeks after he resigned as chairman of one of South Korea's major fried chicken franchises.

"I bow my head, and extend my sincere apology for causing public concern," said the 63-year-old former head of Hosigi Doomari Chicken, surrounded by journalists at a police station in southern Seoul.

Choi's name became a top online keyword after a dinner with a young office lady of his company in a Seoul sushi restaurant on May 3.

A cable news network published CCTV footages showing Choi guiding a young woman into a hotel. He was later seen chasing the lady who threw herself into the backseat of a taxi after running out of the hotel. Choi tried to stop her but retreated after other women gathered around him.

The office lady filed a complaint with police, accusing Choi of sexual harassment. She insisted she was able to escape thanks to other women who responded to her request for help in the hotel's lobby.

Two days later the woman dropped the suit and Choi gave up his chairmanship after issuing a written apology as the scandal hurt the image of his franchise amid falling sales caused by a fresh outbreak of bird flu.  

Choi had been respected as a self-made businessman who often attributed his success to a "win-win" approach to co-exist and share profits with more than 900 partners of his chain. Hosigi has expanded rapidly to be ranked third after Kyochon and BBQ. In terms of consumer satisfaction, Choi's franchise stood top and Hosigi stores were guaranteed higher returns than rivals.

Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com

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