By Jung Min-ho
Prosecutor have indicted six people on charges of illegally recording sex videos of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee and blackmailing the company.
According to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, Tuesday, six people, including a former employee of CJ CheilJedang surnamed Seon, 56, his brother, 46, and a sex worker who appeared in the videos, have been indicted.
The prosecution said the suspects extorted 900 million won ($800,000) from Samsung between June and August 2013 by threatening to release the videos, in which a man who looks like the business tycoon is giving money to young women after receiving sexual services.
They are suspected of recording five such videos between December 2011 and June 2013 at his private residence in southern Seoul. The videos were disclosed to the public in July 2016 with a report by online news outlet Newstapa.
Following the revelation of Seon’s career background, many people suspected CJ Group was involved in orchestrating the taping. Lee Maeng-hee, CJ Group’s late honorary chairman, was in a dispute with Lee Kun-hee, his younger brother, over their inheritance from their father at that time.
Prosecutors have not found any evidence to back up the allegation. The investigation is still underway.