'KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo Faces Formal Trial for Splitting Lawmaker Donations'

KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo is giving a greeting at the 'Youth Hope ON' project meeting held on the 7th at the KT Convergence Technology Institute in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo, who received a summary order for a fine on charges of 'split donations' to members of the National Assembly, will face a formal trial.

According to the legal community on the 11th, Koo's legal counsel recently submitted a formal trial request to the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 27. Accordingly, the summary order issued to Koo has lost its effect, and he will be tried in a formal trial.

The same court's Criminal Division 1 Judge Hong Chang-woo will preside over Koo's case involving violations of the Political Funds Act. The embezzlement case has been assigned to Judge Nam Shin-hyang of Criminal Division 17.

Earlier, KT was accused of creating slush funds worth approximately 1.15 billion KRW through a so-called 'gift certificate laundering' method by purchasing and reselling gift certificates from May 2014 to October 2017, and illegally donating 437.9 million KRW to 99 ruling and opposition National Assembly members of the 19th and 20th sessions. Related department employees were indicted without detention.

KT divided the slush funds into amounts ranging from 1 million to 3 million KRW under the names of executives, employees, and acquaintances, transferring them to political party accounts. It was also found that Chairman Koo and others participated in the crime by lending their names to executives in charge of government relations.

The court issued a summary order imposing a fine of 10 million KRW on Koo for violating the Political Funds Act and a fine of 5 million KRW for embezzlement.

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