'Business lobby group funded pro-gov't rallies'

By Kim Bo-eun

The nation’s top business lobby group is suspected of funneling money to a conservative civic group that paid North Korean defectors to attend protests.

The suspicion, reported by a local broadcaster, comes amid allegations that the rightist Korea Parent Federation (KPF) hired North Korean defectors as part-time protesters for their rallies. Also, the question arose as to how the KPF obtained their money to hire the part-timers.

Broadcaster JTBC reported Tuesday that from September to December of 2014 the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) sent 120 million won to what appears to be a “borrowed name” account run by the KPF.

The money transfer was made through “firm banking” by which companies conduct financial transactions. Industry sources say it would be difficult to falsely use the FKI name under this system.

The broadcaster said the money was wired to an account registered under the name of a foundation for missionary work, but which was actually managed by the KPF’s director general, who is in charge of the group’s finances. The foundation for missionary work is now defunct.

From this account, 29 million won was sent to the head of a North Korean defectors’ group.

JTBC raised the suspicion that the FKI funded the rightist group which often prevented liberal civic groups and labor unions from staging demonstrations at major protest sites by reporting its own rallies to police before the others had a chance to register. The FKI is in conflict with labor unions on many issues.

Besides the KPF, the Korean National Police Veterans Association, a group of retired police officers, also allegedly sent over 20 million won to a North Korean defector group’s account over the last year, according to JTBC.

Another conservative mothers’ group, which has been staging protests supporting state-authored textbooks and other rightist movements, is also suspected of having employed North Korean defectors for its protests.

Weekly news magazine Sisa Journal earlier reported that the KPF employed North Korean defectors for protests that disturbed rallies held for the Sewol tragedy from April to November in 2014.

The group allegedly employed 1,259 defectors for 39 various protests, paying them 20,000 won a day.

FKI officials said that the lobby group usually supports various welfare foundations through charitable donations, adding that they are conducting an internal inspection to determine whether the group really sent money to the missionary foundation.

The FKI is composed of 500 major businesses including chaebol such as Samsung, SK and Hyundai. Its annual budget amounts to more than 30 billion won.