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Thu, June 30, 2022 | 00:32
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Former POSCO executive arrested
검찰, 포스코건설 前베트남법인장 긴급체포
Posted : 2015-03-22 16:52
Updated : 2015-03-22 21:59
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Chung Dong-hwaSung Woan-jong Chung Dong-hwaSung Woan-jong
Chung Dong-hwaSung Woan-jong

Prosecutors digging deeper into slush fund scandal

By Jung Min-ho


A former executive of POSCO's construction subsidiary has been arrested for helping the firm create a slush fund while implementing engineering projects in Vietnam, prosecutors said Sunday.

The executive, surnamed Park, who headed POSCO E&C's Vietnamese unit from 2009 to 2011, is also suspected of having pocketed 4 billion won ($3.5 million) of the slush fund, estimated at 10 billion won, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

"We arrested Park on Saturday night," a prosecutor said without giving details.

Last year, POSCO detected his embezzlement during its own inspection and took disciplinary action against him, but failed to report it to police.

The arrest came as the prosecution is expanding its investigation into corruption in overseas business projects.

Prosecutors will summon former POSCO E&C Vice Chairman Chung Dong-hwa and Keangnam Enterprise Chairman Sung Woan-jong for questioning this week.

The prosecution will question Chung about the slush fund, before issuing a summons for former POSCO Chairman Chung Joon-yang, sources said.

POSCO E&C allegedly created the slush fund by inflating the costs of building expressways in Vietnam in collusion with local subcontractors.

The firm claimed that the money was used only as kickbacks to local contractors there. Prosecutors, however, claimed that part of the money was transferred to people here connected to the construction project.

Prosecutors plan to summon ranking POSCO officials who took part in the project.

Meanwhile, Sung will be asked about state funding his company received from 2005 to 2009 for an oil exploration project in Kamchatka in the Russian Far East.

Keangnam received 33 billion won from the state-run Korea National Oil Corp. But prosecutors obtained evidence which indicates that 10 billion won of this was diverted into Sung's family members' bank accounts.

The prosecution is also looking into other energy projects — a development program for a nickel mine in Ambatovy, Madagascar, which Keangnam participated in with the state-run Korea Resources Corp. (KORES) in 2008.

As Keangnam was unable to pay for its investment because of poor financial conditions, KORES paid 17.1 billion won on behalf of the firm. In 2010 when Keangnam withdrew from the project, KORES also bought the company's share of the project at a price higher than that stated in the contract, resulting in losses of 11.6 billion won.

In 2012, the Board of Audit and Inspection identified the losses. It was alleged that KORES accepted the request for the share purchase from Sung because he was close to then-President Lee Myung-bak.


검찰, 포스코건설 前베트남법인장 긴급체포

포스코건설 비자금 조성 사건을 수사하는 서울중앙지검 특수2부(조상준 부장검사)는 포스코건설 전 베트남법인장(상무) 박모씨를 21일 밤늦게 횡령 혐의로 긴급체포했다.

22일 검찰에 따르면 박씨는 2009∼2012년 진행된 베트남 고속도로 건설 사업과 관련해 하청업체에 지급하는 공사대금을 부풀려 100억원대의 비자금을 조성하고 이 가운데 40억여원을 가로챈 혐의를 받고 있다.

포스코건설은 내부 감사를 통해 박씨의 비자금 조성 사실을 확인했으나 현지 리베이트로 쓰였다고 보고 자체 징계만 내린 뒤 형사 고발하지 않았다.

그러나 검찰은 박씨가 조성한 비자금 중 상당액이 용처를 알 수 없는 곳에 사용된 사실을 확인하고 수차례 박씨를 불러 조사한 뒤 전날 밤 긴급체포했다.

검찰은 23일 박씨에 대해 구속영장을 청구하고 이르면 이번 주 정동화 전 포스코건설 부회장을 불러 조사할 방침이다.

검찰은 비자금 조성과 사용 등에 정 전 부회장과 정준양 전 포스코 회장 등 고위 경영진이 개입한 정황을 포착한 것으로 알려졌다.

검찰은 포스코건설 감사실에 근무하는 관계자들을 최근까지 잇따라 불러 비자금 조성 경위와 함께 정준양 전 회장의 배임 의혹을 조사하고 법리 검토에 나섰다.

검찰은 정 전 회장이 재임중 회사에 손실을 끼칠 수 있다는 점을 알면서도 문어발식 계열사 확장에 나섰는지를 확인하는 데 수사력을 모으고 있다.

정 전 회장 재임 때 포스코 계열사는 41곳이 늘었지만, 절반 가까운 18곳이 자본잠식되며 경영이 악화했다. 

포스코는 사업 다각화의 일환이었고 적정한 평가를 통해 인수합병이 이뤄졌다고 해명했지만, 검찰은 인수합병으로 수조원에 이르는 포스코의 현금성 자산이 사라지는 과정에 정 전 회장의 책임이 있다고 보고 있다.

검찰은 정동화 전 부회장을 이번주 조사한 뒤 이르면 다음달 초 정 전 회장을 불러 조사할 방침이다. 

한편 경남기업의 해외 자원 개발비리 의혹을 수사하는 서울중앙지검 특수1부(임관혁 부장검사)는 이번 주 한국석유공사, 한국광물자원공사 관계자들을 불러 경남기업이 융자금을 받은 과정을 집중적으로 조사할 방침이다.

검찰은 공사 관계자들에 대한 조사가 끝나면 곧바로 성완종 경남기업 회장을 소환해 450억원에 이르는 융자금 중 일부를 유용한 혐의 등에 대해 조사하고 영장 청구 여부를 결정할 계획이다. (연합뉴스)
Emailmj6c2@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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