By Kim Bo-eun
The independent counsel team is expected to seek arrest warrants for two senior Samsung Group executives for their alleged providing of President Park Geun-hye's confidant Choi Soon-sil and her daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, with huge amounts of funds. This was done in return for Cheong Wa Dae facilitating a merger of two Samsung affiliates last year.
Co-Vice Chairman Choi Gee-sung and President Chang Choong-ki of Samsung's future strategy planning division, the group's control tower, were questioned over the allegations from Monday afternoon to early Tuesday. They will likely face charges of bribery.
Samsung signed a 22 billion won consulting contract with Choi Soon-sil's Core Sports (later named Widec Sports) company based in Germany in August 2015 under the pretext of supporting promising dressage competitors. It transferred 3.5 billion won of the total amount; but the money was used to support only one competitor, Chung.
Samsung also provided over 1.6 billion won to the Winter Sports Elite Center, established by Choi's niece Jang Si-ho. The firm separately contributed 20.4 billion won to the Mir and K-Sports foundations controlled by Choi, the largest amount among "contributions" from 53 conglomerates.
It is suspected that in return for providing the funds, Cheong Wa Dae facilitated the merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries last year, by ordering the National Pension Service, which held shares in the two companies, to vote for the deal.
The merger was designed for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to increase his shares in the group for a smooth power transfer from his father Chairman Lee Kun-hee.
The counsel team said it secured a second tablet PC owned by Choi Soon-sil, a different one from that which the prosecution had earlier secured. The second computer contained emails related to the merger of Samsung affiliates and money provided by the group, the team said.
With the allegations, the counsel team is reviewing whether to charge President Park with bribery.
Up until now, the team said third-party bribery charges could be applied to President Park, Choi and Samsung officials. Third-party bribery applies when a public official (Park) receives a request for influence-peddling and in return makes those making the request (conglomerates) provide money to a third party (Choi).
The team is looking into whether Park could have benefited from the money as well as Choi.
Earlier, the team presumed Park allegedly played her role in providing economic gains for Choi, because of their friendship which spans over 40 years. However, the team now believes it is likely Choi and Park may have shared the gains.
Based on precedents, bribery charges can be applied to a public official even if the funds are given to another person, if the two are seen to share economic interests. The team is focusing on identifying any economic ties between Park and Choi.
There are rumors that 600 million won was found in a safe at Cheong Wa Dae after President Park's father and former president Park Chung-hee was assassinated, and the money was given to his eldest child, Park Geun-hye. Following this, however, Choi Tae-min, Choi Soon-sil's father and Park Geun-hye's mentor, managed the money on her behalf.
When Park ran for a by-election in 1998 and general election in 2000, the Choi family provided large sums of election funds, and it is rumored that this was from Park's inheritance.
If bribery charges are applied, Park could face a heavier sentence that that of third-party bribery.
 |
| Lee Kyu-chul, spokesman of the independent counsel team, announced at a press briefing at the team's office in Seoul, Tuesday, that it had secured a second tablet PC belonging to President Park Geun-hye's confidant Choi Soon-sil, which contains emails on the merger of Samsung affiliates. / Yonhap |
Co-Vice Chairman Choi Gee-sung and President Chang Choong-ki of Samsung's future strategy planning division, the group's control tower, were questioned over the allegations from Monday afternoon to early Tuesday. They will likely face charges of bribery.
Samsung signed a 22 billion won consulting contract with Choi Soon-sil's Core Sports (later named Widec Sports) company based in Germany in August 2015 under the pretext of supporting promising dressage competitors. It transferred 3.5 billion won of the total amount; but the money was used to support only one competitor, Chung.
Samsung also provided over 1.6 billion won to the Winter Sports Elite Center, established by Choi's niece Jang Si-ho. The firm separately contributed 20.4 billion won to the Mir and K-Sports foundations controlled by Choi, the largest amount among "contributions" from 53 conglomerates.
It is suspected that in return for providing the funds, Cheong Wa Dae facilitated the merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries last year, by ordering the National Pension Service, which held shares in the two companies, to vote for the deal.
The merger was designed for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to increase his shares in the group for a smooth power transfer from his father Chairman Lee Kun-hee.
The counsel team said it secured a second tablet PC owned by Choi Soon-sil, a different one from that which the prosecution had earlier secured. The second computer contained emails related to the merger of Samsung affiliates and money provided by the group, the team said.
With the allegations, the counsel team is reviewing whether to charge President Park with bribery.
Up until now, the team said third-party bribery charges could be applied to President Park, Choi and Samsung officials. Third-party bribery applies when a public official (Park) receives a request for influence-peddling and in return makes those making the request (conglomerates) provide money to a third party (Choi).
The team is looking into whether Park could have benefited from the money as well as Choi.
Earlier, the team presumed Park allegedly played her role in providing economic gains for Choi, because of their friendship which spans over 40 years. However, the team now believes it is likely Choi and Park may have shared the gains.
Based on precedents, bribery charges can be applied to a public official even if the funds are given to another person, if the two are seen to share economic interests. The team is focusing on identifying any economic ties between Park and Choi.
There are rumors that 600 million won was found in a safe at Cheong Wa Dae after President Park's father and former president Park Chung-hee was assassinated, and the money was given to his eldest child, Park Geun-hye. Following this, however, Choi Tae-min, Choi Soon-sil's father and Park Geun-hye's mentor, managed the money on her behalf.
When Park ran for a by-election in 1998 and general election in 2000, the Choi family provided large sums of election funds, and it is rumored that this was from Park's inheritance.
If bribery charges are applied, Park could face a heavier sentence that that of third-party bribery.
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