Former Chairman Kim Seong-tae Likely to Voluntarily Return to Korea... Possibly as Early as Tomorrow (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] It has been confirmed that Kim Seong-tae, former chairman of Ssangbangwool Group, who was captured in Thailand after evading arrest for about eight months on the 10th, has expressed his intention to voluntarily return to Korea.

According to Ssangbangwool Group on the 12th, Kim reportedly informed the authorities of his intention to "voluntarily return." It appears he felt burdened by the poor conditions of the local detention facility.

He is expected to board a plane as early as tomorrow and arrive either tomorrow or the day after. Rather than being forcibly deported or extradited, Kim will return voluntarily, using an emergency passport to fly back to Incheon Airport as soon as it is issued.

Kim was under investigation by the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office on charges of embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes when he fled the country in late May last year, traveling to Singapore, the United States, and other locations. He was captured by immigration enforcement at a golf course in Pathum Thani, Thailand, on the afternoon of the 10th, along with current Ssangbangwool chairman Yang Seon-gil.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office is conducting a comprehensive investigation into allegations including ▲ breach of trust and embezzlement ▲ false disclosure related to convertible bonds violating the Capital Markets Act ▲ remittance to North Korea ▲ and suspicions of paying legal fees on behalf of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

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