Search and Seizure at Samsung Corporation Headquarters

On June 21, the Criminal Department 8 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, headed by Seo Beom-jeong, raided the headquarters of Samsung Corporation’s construction unit located in the Samsung Plaza building in Seohyeon-dong, Seongnam.

One prosecutor and eight investigators searched the office for roughly one hour from 11:00 a.m. and secured related documents and computer hard disks.

Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office 1 vice-chief, Park Cheol-jun, said, “We conducted a search and seizure at the Samsung headquarters to collect evidence regarding Samsung Corporation’s redevelopment scandal.”

Last February, prosecutors also raided Samsung Corporation’s Seongbuk office, which was in charge of the redevelopment of Kileum Zone 8 in Seongbuk-gu.

Prosecutors secured an email message from Samsung Corporation to Zone 8 Maintenance Business Union head, Jeong (65, incarcerated), indicating the changing hands of money and other articles in the name of election funds in August and September of 2005; right before the redevelopment union head election.

The email message was asking for legal advice on which law the bribe transgressed and included a reply from a law consultant, which stated that there was a legal problem.

Prosecutors have searched the email accounts of those involved to investigate whether Samsung Corporation bribed other redevelopment unions, while trying to trace the flow of funds through bank accounts.

Prosecutors will summon those involved when their analysis of seized materials is finished.

needjung@donga.com