Investigation into Organizational Involvement of Company and Labor Union

The Gwangju District Public Prosecutors’ Office (DPPO), which is investigating the recruitment scandal of Kia Motors’ Gwangju plant, summoned personnel managers on Tuesday to investigate whether the company was involved in the scandal.

“We summoned personnel managers to examine how disqualified people were employed,” said Kim Sang-bong, a deputy chief prosecutor at Gwangju DPPO.

“We place the focus on finding out whether it is an individual scandal or an organizational one,” he added.

The prosecution sought an arrest warrant against Jeong Byeong-yeon, the head of Gwangju local union chapter, on charge of violating the Labor Standards Law. Jeong gave up his right to claim for the examination on the appropriateness of his warrant.

“Jeong received money from people in return for placing them at the factory, so he violated the Labor Standards Law that prohibits the involvement of a third party in recruitment,” the deputy chief prosecutor said. “We are considering applying an additional charge of dereliction of duty.”

Meanwhile Jeong’s brother (43), who is known to have managed the money before the scandal was uncovered, was confirmed to have left for Malaysia on January 19.

Jeong is known to have stated that he did not know who made requests and gave money since his brother took care of everything. It is in doubt whether his brother went abroad to cover up the case.

Jeong’s brother received 160 million won from people asking for a job and managed the money in his account before remitting it to Jeong’s wife. “My husband went to Malaysia for his gardening business and will return on January 30. His trip has nothing do to with the investigation,” said Jeong’s brother’s wife.

Jin-Young Hwang Jin-Kyun Kil buddy@donga.com leon@donga.com