By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
An independent counsel probing Samsung Group summoned group vice chairman Lee Hak-soo Wednesday, the fourth time since the special investigation team started its probe into the group involving allegations of slush fund creation and bribery.
The questioning of Lee, known as the right hand man of Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, came just one day after the special team said that part of money kept in Samsung Group's alleged false-name stock accounts was used for purchasing art pieces presumably for Chairman Lee's wife Hong Ra-hee. Hong is unlikely to avoid being served a summons by the special team.
Officials from the team said Wednesday that the team found that some of the dividends of Samsung Life Insurance shares, registered under Samsung's 12 former and incumbent executives, was funneled to Seomi Gallery and Kukje Gallery.
The two galleries are suspected of having purchased pricey paintings on behalf of Hong and other wives of group directors with the group's slush funds ― a claim by Samsung's former lawyer and whistleblower Kim Yong-chul.
The counsel earlier tentatively concluded that part of the 3 million Samsung Life shares opened under the 12 executives' names did not belong to them, meaning their names were just borrowed for the opening of the stock accounts. The team said they are probing whether the actual owner of the shares is the chairman.
The investigators found some of the dividends were sent to Kukje Gallery after encashment. They said Samsung officials seem to have used complicated methods to make it difficult to trace money flow.
In a related probe, the team questioned the Kukje Gallery head Tuesday over how and why the money was sent to the gallery and whether she bought art pieces for Samsung.
The whistleblower Kim claimed earlier that Hong and other group ladies purchased artworks through Seomi Gallery with part of the group's slush funds.
As it was found that part of the money kept in alleged false-name accounts was used in the purchase of artworks, the counsel is considering summoning Hong. The investigator said they have not told her yet when that might be.