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Lotte Chemical chief summoned over tax corruption

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The chief of Lotte Chemical, the chemicals maker of retail giant Lotte, was summoned by prosecutors Thursday to face questioning over a string of irregularities, including alleged tax corruption.

Huh Soo-young appeared before the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office over allegations of lobbying the local tax authorities and engaging in the company's unlawful suit against the government.

"I will fully cooperate with the prosecution," he told reporters before entering the prosecutors' office.

KP Chemical Corp., a subsidiary of Lotte, which later turned into Lotte Chemical, is suspected of filing a suit against the government in 2006 with doctored accounting records and getting some 27 billion won ($24 million) in tax refunds.

The company is also suspected of handing over some 20 billion won of illegal commission fees to its affiliate to create billions of won in slush funds.

Two weeks earlier, his predecessor Ki Joon was put under detention over alleged involvement in the corruption.

Prosecutors have been widening their investigation into the country's fifth-largest conglomerate after launching a full-fledged raid in June. (Yonhap)