Lawyer Bongwook: "The Compliance Oversight Committee is an organization that acts as a watchdog delivering harsh criticism to Samsung"

Attorney Bong Wook

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Bong Wook (55, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 19), a former Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (attorney), who has been criticized as inappropriate to serve as a member of the Samsung Compliance Committee, stated, "The Compliance Committee is an organization that rather guards against influencing trials," and added, "I do not think such criticism is valid."

Attorney Bong explained in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 16th, "As briefly mentioned in the article, the Compliance Committee is an organization that rather gives harsh criticism to Samsung and acts as a watchdog," and "It is also an organization operated completely independently from Samsung."

He continued, "The Compliance Committee performs a role that rather guards against influencing trials," and added, "You can see this from the recommendation letter the committee sent last week to Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and others."

On the same day, a media outlet reported that it is inappropriate for Attorney Bong to serve as a member of Samsung's Compliance Committee because he received reports related to the prosecution's investigation of Samsung Biologics while serving as Deputy Prosecutor General.

Meanwhile, the Compliance Committee announced on the 11th that it sent recommendation letters to Vice Chairman Lee and seven affiliates including Samsung Electronics, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Samsung SDI, Samsung SDS, Samsung C&T, Samsung Life Insurance, and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, requesting a response within 30 days.

At that time, the Compliance Committee stated, "We proposed as a recommendation that both Vice Chairman Lee and the affiliates prepare and announce measures to dispel controversies regarding the committee's activities and the relevance to the criminal trial of the group head."

Attorney Bong, who was recognized for both investigative ability and planning skills within the prosecution organization and held key positions at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Ministry of Justice, served as acting Prosecutor General after the resignation of former Prosecutor General Kim Soo-nam and retired in June last year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.