<Anchor>
Kim Seong-tae, former chairman of Ssangbang-wool, who fled abroad while under investigation by the prosecution, was caught in Thailand.
Prosecutors plan to bring former Chairman Kim, who has been involved in various corruption allegations, including the allegations of paying lawyer Lee Jae-myeong, to Korea as soon as possible.
This is reporter Sohn Ki-jun's report.
<Reporter> The
police announced that they arrested former chairman Kim Seong-tae, who was fleeing abroad, at a golf course in Pathum Thani, Thailand, around 7:30 pm yesterday (10th) in our time.
After our police officer dispatched to Thailand obtained intelligence that former chairman Kim played golf regularly, he cooperated with the Thailand Police Immigration Bureau to arrest former chairman Kim who appeared at the golf course after hiding for several days.
The current chairman Yang Seon-gil, who fled abroad before former chairman Kim, was also arrested at the scene, the police said.
Previously, the Suwon District Prosecutor's Office conducted a seizure and search of the headquarters of the Ssangbangwool Group on June 23 of last year, but former chairman Kim left for Singapore on May 31 of last year, avoiding the prosecution's investigation.
In the course of the subsequent investigation, it was revealed that an incumbent prosecutor's office leaked investigation secrets to Ssangbang-wool and helped former Chairman Kim escape.
Prosecutors also continued their investigation into the corruption allegations of the Ssangbangwool group and brought Ssangbangwool officials to trial one after another on charges of stock price manipulation, illegal remittance to North Korea, and offering bribes, but former chairman Kim, who is the top decision-maker, could not be investigated.
If former Chairman Kim is repatriated to Korea, the investigation into the allegation that he paid the lawyer's fees for Lee Jae-myeong, the head of the Democratic Party, is also expected to speed up.
The prosecution plans to consult with Thai authorities through the Ministry of Justice so that Kim can be extradited as quickly as possible.