South Korean prosecutors raided Korean Air over allegations of inheritance tax evasion and embezzlement of money against Cho Yang-ho, owner of Korean Air and Chairman of Hanjin Group, and his family. The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office (Chief prosecutor Kim Jeong-oh) said on the same day that it was raiding the financial headquarters of Korean Air located in Gangseo-gu, Seoul.
The prosecution carried out the raid on the same day after the National Tax Service accused Chairman Cho and his family for not reporting the overseas assets from the founder of Hanjin Group and Cho’s father, Cho Jung-hoon.
It is also reported that the prosecution is looking into alleged damages caused by Chairman Cho and his family through the embezzlement of the money from their affiliates or from their own duty-free agents.
Meanwhile, on the same day, the police filed an arrest warrant against Lee Myung-hee, the wife of Chairman Cho, who is under public criticism for verbally abusing and assaulting multiple employees.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency filed an arrest warrant against Lee Myung-hee for a total of seven charges including special injury, special assault, habitual violence, obstruction of business and insult.
Unlike general assaults (No punishment will), which cannot be punished if the victim comes to an agreement with the attacker, special injuries can be punished regardless of the agreement with the victim.
The police said Lee Myung-hee used her superior status to repeatedly assault, insult and injure the socially weak, adding, “The case is serious and there is concern about the evidence being destroyed.”
