TV Producer Grilled in Bribes-for-Casting Probe

Prosecutors yesterday grilled a TV producer from the broadcast network SBS for questioning on bribes he is alleged to have received from an entertainment agency in return for casting the agency’s clients.

Six to seven additional producers - three from KBS, two or three from MBC and another from SBS – will also be summoned this week, including an executive producer.

Prosecutors interrogated the SBS producer on if he received bribes or stocks from entertainment agencies in return for casting their clients, and if he got money to gamble at Gangwon Land Resort in Korea or casinos in Macau.

One entertainment company and two drama outsourcing production agencies are alleged to have given stocks as bribes to high-level executives. Prosecutors will research the tax records of these agencies in their investigation.

dnsp@donga.com