[ Anchor
Lead] During the prosecution's investigation into the alleged payment of attorney fees by Lee Jae-myung, the head of the Democratic Party, former Ssangbangul chairman Kim Seong-tae, who had fled abroad, was arrested in Thailand.
Prosecutors plan to repatriate former chairman Kim to Korea as quickly as possible in consultation with Thai authorities.
This is Reporter Sohn Ki-jun.
<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 information 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 Ssangbangbang Group on June 23 last year, but former chairman Kim left for Singapore on May 31 last year, avoiding the prosecution's investigation.
Later, in the course of the 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 remittances to North Korea, and bribery, but former Chairman Kim, who is the top decision-maker, could not be investigated.
If former chairman Kim is extradited to Korea, the investigation into the suspicion that he paid the lawyer's fees for Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is 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.
(Video editing: Park Chun-bae)