Seomi Gallery Director to Be Questioned by Independent Counsel

Independent counsel Cho Joon-woong, who is investigating a slush fund scandal of Samsung Group, announced yesterday that his team would subpoena Seomi Gallery director Hong Song-won, 55, for questioning. She is suspected of having been involved in Samsung’s purchasing of luxury art pieces from overseas markets with the slush funds.

The investigation team searched the art piece warehouse located at the Everland in Gyeonggi Province for two days. The team, however, has not found Roy Lichtenstein`s 1964 work "Happy Tears" and Frank Stella`s "Bethlehem`s Hospital."

Former Samsung in-house lawyer Kim Yong-cheol alleged that Samsung used the slush funds to purchase the two famous art works.

Previously, Kim submitted a list of art pieces that Samsung had allegedly purchased at the Christie’s auction house in New York with the slush funds. But the team would not comment whether or not they had found the other 28 works on the list.

Once finishing examining confiscated records, the special prosecutors will question Hong who had kept "Happy Tears," according to Kim, to find out where the art work is and how it was bought.

In addition, the special prosecution team will subpoena more artists who allegedly played some roles in Samsung’s acquisition of the art works.

The team, however, confirmed that it has found art works which are not on the list, but equally expensive and famous, at the warehouse. The team will look into who bought them and whether they are associated with the slush fund allegations.

In the meanwhile, the investigation team questioned four directors of Samsung Electronics, including its vice president, yesterday. They were suspected to own bank accounts connected to the funds.

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