3 More Join Samsung Probe Team

Three lawyers have been appointed assistant prosecutors in the investigation into slush funds allegedly raised by the Samsung Group.

Former prosecutors Yun Jeong-seok and Cho Dae-hwan and lawyer Jegal Bok-seong were selected by President Roh Moo-hyun from six candidates recommended by special prosecutor Cho Jun-ung.

Cho will announce the opening of the probe around Wednesday. His investigation team will soon receive 42,000 pages of evidence from prosecutors and draft plans for the probe based on them.

The team also includes Kang Chan-woo, a director of finance and tax affairs at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office; Vice Assistant Prosecutor Yeo Hwan-seop of the Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office; and Vice Assistant Prosecutor Lee Won-gon of the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office.

Kang led the prosecution last year in a case involving Samsung Everland, in which several executives were found guilty of illegally transferring the theme park’s shares to the Samsung Group chairman’s son.

needjung@donga.com