By Kim Hyun-bin
Yang Jin-ho, CEO of WeDisk and robot developer Hankook Mirae Technology, has been operating a team that illegally uploaded secretly-taken sexually explicit photos or videos on the file sharing website, according to a whistleblower who disclosed multiple alleged details of Yang's illegal activities.
On Tuesday, the whistleblower, who held a press conference in Seoul on condition of anonymity, confirmed the alleged complicity between the file sharing platform operators and “heavy uploaders” of such voyeur clips.
He said that after an investigative program broadcasted the allegation in July, he and a few employees within the company conducted an internal-investigation and found that Yang ran a secret unit with two workers to manage frequent uploaders of explicit materials and even directly uploaded such clips themselves.
“We know of two people who took part in the illegal acts and we believe there were at most five people involved, including Yang,” he added.
The source said that after police investigated the allegations following the broadcast, Yang attempted to destroy evidence and bribed executive level employees, urging them to falsely testify when called for questioning.
“Over 100 police officers were deployed to investigate the case. However, there was destruction of evidence and pressure to falsely testify,” he said. “Yang also switched out his phone three times as well as exchanging the hard disk and deleting files. He also called on his executives to falsely testify, promising them monetary compensation.”
Yang said he would offer 300 million won ($266,000) if an employee is arrested, 100 million won in the event of them receiving a suspended jail term, and promised to pay double the fine if the employee is fined. Those called for police questioning received 500,000 won, according to the source.
Besides the sexual video allegations, Yang has been under investigation regarding various abuse cases.
Earlier this month, a video clip showed Yang assaulting a former employee in 2015, which stirred the public outrage that led to Yang's arrest on Nov. 9.
The video shows Yang verbally abusing a former employee in an office and then slapping his face repeatedly. The victim is seen apologizing to Yang on his knees for criticizing him on the WeDisk online bulletin board.
Another clip showed Yang forcing workers to kill a chicken with a bow and arrow. The video filmed in 2016 on a company retreat shows Yang killing chickens with a crossbow and ordering his employees to do the same.
Police confiscated the crossbow, arrows and a sword as evidence, as well as computer files during search of Yang's home and offices.
A group of IT workers said they will also file a complaint with the prosecution regarding Yang's abuse, coercion and violence against the former worker, blasting the "abuse of power."