Prosecutors Summon Former Naver CEO Kim Sang-heon Over ‘Seongnam FC Sponsorship Suspicion’
Suspicion of Naver's 'Second Building' Construction Permit After Donating 3.9 Billion Won
Prosecutors Doubt the Process of Delivering Sponsorship Funds to Seongnam FC via Public Interest Corporation 'Hope Sallim'
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[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] The prosecution investigating the Seongnam FC sponsorship fund allegations has summoned Kim Sang-heon, former CEO of Naver. The prosecution, conducting an investigation related to the Daejang-dong development scandal, appears to be accelerating efforts to clarify allegations surrounding Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.
According to the legal community on the 15th, former CEO Kim appeared this morning at the Criminal Division 3 of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Seongnam Branch (Chief Prosecutor Yoo Min-jong) for questioning.
The Seongnam FC sponsorship fund allegations involve claims that while Lee was mayor of Seongnam, he served as the club owner of Seongnam FC and secured sponsorship funds totaling about 16 billion KRW from companies such as Doosan Construction, Naver, and Cha Hospital between 2016 and 2018. These companies allegedly received favors such as building permits and land use changes.
Naver is suspected of paying 3.9 billion KRW in sponsorship funds and obtaining a building permit in September 2016 for its second office building in Jeongja-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam City.
Naver reportedly provided the sponsorship funds indirectly through the public interest corporation Hope Sallim (currently Jubilee Bank). Hope Sallim used 100 million KRW out of the 4 billion KRW received from Naver for Seongnam FC sponsorship and passed 3.9 billion KRW to Seongnam FC. Former CEO Kim was in charge during the period when Naver's sponsorship was made.
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The prosecution has been investigating the process by which Naver sponsored Seongnam FC through Hope Sallim, where former Democratic Party lawmaker Je Yoon-kyung served as a standing director. Former lawmaker Je is known as a close aide to Lee, having served as a spokesperson for Lee Jae-myung's campaign during the 2017 presidential election.
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