South Korean prosecutors will question the chairman of SK Group, the country's third largest conglomerate, on Saturday in connection with the influence-peddling scandal that brought down President Park Geun-hye, the company and the Yonhap News Agency said.
Officials at the prosecutor's office could not be reached immediately for comment about the summoning of SK Chairman Chey Tae-won.
A spokesman for SK Group confirmed that Chey would be questioned, but declined to comment further.
Park Geun-hye, then president of South Korea, speaks during a press conference with US President Barack Obama (unseen), in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, May 7, 2013. /CFP Photo
Park, South Korea's first democratically elected leader to be removed from office, faces allegations that she colluded with a friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure big businesses to donate to foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.
Chey Tae-Won, chairman of SK Corporation, attends a parliamentary hearing over the Choi Soon-sil probe at the National Assembly on December 6, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea. /CFP Photo
An election to pick a new president will be on May 9 and reform of South Korea's powerful family-run conglomerates, known as chaebol, is a major campaign issue.
SK Group is South Korea's third-largest chaebol, with units in chemicals, telecoms and semiconductors.
Chey is likely to be asked about discussions between the group and the presidential Blue House in 2015, around the time he was released from prison when a four-year term for embezzlement was commuted.
Three SK executives were questioned on Thursday as part of the same investigation.
SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won (L), Samsung Group's heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong (C) and Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin take an oath during a parliamentary probe into a scandal engulfing President Park Geun-hye at the National Assembly in Seoul on December 6, 2016. /CFP Photo
At least two other conglomerates are being investigated, including the Samsung Group, South Korea's largest chaebol. Its leader, Jay Y. Lee, is in detention on trial for bribery, embezzlement and other charges. Lee denies all charges and Samsung denies wrongdoing.
A spokesman for the Lotte Group said this week it was cooperating with the prosecutors' investigation.
Park, who was impeached by parliament in December and dismissed from office by the Constitutional Court on March 10, is accused of bribery, extortion and abuse of power, in a scandal that has rocked South Korea since October.
She is due to appear for questioning on Tuesday. Park and Choi have denied wrongdoing.
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(Source: Reuters)
