MBC Exec. Producer Faces Bribery Indictment

Prosecutors yesterday applied for an arrest warrant for an MBC executive producer "Goh" on embezzlement and gambling charges, under a probe into illegal collusion between producers and entertainment agencies.

This is the first time for prosecutors to seek an arrest warrant for a producer of a national TV network. On Aug. 11, a former KBS producer "Lee" was arrested without bail for allegedly taking 200 million won in bribes from six entertainment agencies.

The MBC producer allegedly took bribes worth 60 million won in cash from four entertainment agencies in return for casting their entertainers. Fantom Entertainment and Good Entertainment offered Goh 30,000 shares each at prices far lower than their market value.

Goh later sold them to earn 200 million won.

A prosecutor close to the case said, “Goh gambled at various places, even going to Macao.”

Goh is in charge of the popular TV show “Sunday Sunday Night” and recently produced the comeback show of pop icon Seo Tae-ji.

needjung@donga.com