By Chung Ah-young
Arirang TV CEO Bang Suk-ho stepped down from his post Tuesday amid allegations that he misused corporate credit cards during business trips to the United States.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that it accepted his resignation, but added that it will continue a special investigation into his alleged use of the state-run broadcaster’s funds for personal expenses.
It said that if any violation of the law such as misappropriating corporate funds is found, it will seek restitution from him.
Despite resigning, Bang denied the allegations. “My family didn’t accompany me on my business trip to the U.S. in September. I didn’t pay for my family’s dinners with the corporate credit card,” Bang said in a statement. “The ministry will announce the results of its inspection. I will fully cooperate with the ministry to reveal the truth.”
It is alleged that Bang’s family accompanied him during his visit to New York in September for his company’s live broadcast of President Park Geun-hye’s keynote speech at the U.N. General Assembly.
During the trip, Bang allegedly spent corporate money to rent a luxury car and pay for dinners with his family in extravagant restaurants.
Bang claimed that he had the dinners with diplomats for business purposes there; however, they denied meeting with him.
In addition, his daughter posted photos taken with her father in New York on Instagram under the title "Our family trip for Chuseok.”
He is also suspected of using corporate money during another business trip to New York in May when he visited his son who was attending Duke University at that time. He allegedly paid some 1.2 million won with the corporate card for dinner in a North Carolina restaurant.