Union petitions for Shinhan chairman

Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung appears in the Seoul Eastern District Court as he awaits the court's decision on the prosecutors' arrest warrant in this October 2018 file photo. / Yonhap

By Park Jae-hyuk

Shinhan Bank's union filed a petition with the Seoul Eastern District Court to call for generosity toward Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung, who is facing a sentencing hearing on charges of hiring underqualified applicants, according to media reports, Monday.

Local news outlet Newsis reported Shinhan Bank's union leader Kim Jin-hong claimed the chairman's innocence.

“Chairman Cho made huge efforts for the welfare of employees when he was the Shinhan Bank CEO,” Kim was quoted as saying by Newsis. “I appreciate him for his efforts to improve the rights of female employees. I ask the court to take this into account.”

A petition does not affect the court's judgment of conviction, but it can be taken into account when the court is determining punishment.

Cho was indicted without detention in October 2018 on charges of manipulating scores of 101 applicants to hire those with ties to influential politicians, children of executives and more male workers.

The prosecutors sought a three-year prison sentence for Cho. The sentencing hearing is due Jan. 22.

Cho, who was essentially reappointed to another three-year term, said in the final hearing Dec. 18 that he has made efforts to build a financial group that supports social minorities by hiring women whose careers had been interrupted.

In 2018, he also started the “SHeroes” program which is intended for fostering talented female employees in the group.

A Shinhan Bank spokesman said the management was not aware of the union's petition.

The Korea Times tried to contact Shinhan Bank's labor union several times regarding this issue, but the union did not answer.