Five Business Organizations Representatives’ Exceptional Visit to the Public Prosecutors’ Office

On March 5, representatives of five business organizations, including the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and Korea Employers Federation (KEF), met with Prosecutor General Song Kwang-soo, requesting that the prosecution put an early end to an investigation into companies involved in presidential election campaign funds scandal and give leniency to business leaders who are to be brought to justice.

With the interim announcement of the probe result ahead, five representatives, including chairman of FKI Kang Shin-ho, chairman of KEF Lee Soo-young and chairman of Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KFSB) Kim Yong-koo, visited the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office building located in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu in Seoul and talked with Prosecutor General Song for 30 minutes. “Companies are experiencing difficulties in establishing plans for investment and business activities because of the prosecution’s probe into election campaign donation scandal,” they said.

They also called for leniency, saying that if corporate leaders representing Korea had less room to maneuver due to the probe, external credibility would be negatively affected.

Regarding this, Prosecutor General Song said, “Although we will decide carefully after considering the overall situation, we cannot help taking into account the public opinion arguing that the prosecution should consider not only difficulties of business but also other aspects.”

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice Chairman Kim Hyo-sung and Korea International Trade Association Vice Chairman Lee Suk-young visited the Prosecutor’s Office instead of each organization’s chairmen, who are on business trips abroad.

It is the first time that representatives of five business organizations visited the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office together. FKI chairman Kang met Prosecutor General Song last November and on February 18, 2004 with regards to the prosecution’s probe into election campaign funds.

Their visit was made after the Federation of Korean Industries proposed it to other business organizations. FKI said, “Since conglomerates, including Samsung, LG, Hyundai Motor and Lotte, are facing difficulties because of the probe, let us convey the thoughts of the business circle to the prosecution.”

Won-Jae Lee wjlee@donga.com