12/9토픽2. whistle blower

[TOMMY(이주형)]

Prosecutors Probe Samsung Slush Fund Managers

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Prosecutors are investigating alleged Samsung slush fund managers after obtaining a list of the conglomerate's 20 executives a whistleblower named as the managers of its illegal fund.

The investigation started after Kim Yong-chul, the former director of Samsung's legal department, gave a list of the 20's names to the prosecution.

Kim has claimed that the group kept a massive slush fund in more than 1,000 bank and stock accounts registered under its executives' names, and that 5 billion won was kept in four accounts in his name that he had never opened. Prosecutors recently found dozens of additional accounts opened in Kim's name.

Kim's list is believed to include group executives who managed the slush fund and bank accounts opened for illegal purposes in their names.

A prosecutor said they will look into whether those listed actually committed illegalities.

In a related probe, more than 40 investigators mounted a third search of Samsung Securities' data storage center in Suseo southern Seoul, Sunday.

The first took place on Friday, alongside searches of the company's headquarters in central Seoul, and Samsung SDS' data center in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. The two are suspected of having helped the parent company create the alleged fund. Samsung SDS center was also searched on Saturday.

It is unusual for the prosecution to search a place for several days. Investigators did not confiscate any computers or other data storage units but downloaded documents and files.

Prosecutors have secured the two companies' management documents and computer download records, as well as e-mail records of the firms' executives. Kim claimed earlier that the chances are high for the slush fund to have been created and managed through Samsung Securities.

Prosecutors are also investigating the claim by a former Samsung SDI official, now in the U.S., that he took part in managing the group's slush fund between 1992 and 1999, raising 300 billion won.

The official, Kang Bu-chan, told a weekly magazine that the group amassed the slush fund and laundered money through Samsung SDI's New York and London offices and that the money was kept in bank accounts under group executives' names.

Kang's claim is similar to that of Kim, who said Samsung SDI and Samsung Corporation's overseas offices made bogus contracts to create the slush fund. Last Monday, Kim showed a memorandum with signatures of Kang and a Samsung Corporation official. Kang left the country on the day Kim made his disclosure.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr

questions will be following soon~

Q1.what do you think about recent 'SamSung scandal'?

Q2.do you know any whistle bolowing case? if not, search and

   tell us at least one case?

Q3.do you think it's necessary to have the secret known to public?

   if that's not fair or illegal

Q4.what's your idea about 'whistle blower'? do you emphasize them?

Q5.tell us the reason why 김용철 told the secret about 'Samsung's illegalities'?

Q6.have you ever told any secret to other that wasn't supposed to be?

Q7.what is your own definition of secret?

[스탈리쉬(정진화)]

좋은토픽올려주시네요...주말에 뵙겟습니다. 꾸벅~!~!