MBK Partners Chairman Kim Byung-ju was selected as a witness for the KT and Lotte Card large-scale hacking incident hearing to be held on the 24th, but will not attend.
According to political circles and the investment banking (IB) industry on the 23rd, Kim submitted a statement of reasons for nonattendance to the National Assembly's Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee. With Kim absent, MBK Partners Vice Chairman Yoon Jong-ha is expected to appear instead. MBK Partners, a private equity fund (PEF) manager, is the largest shareholder of Lotte Card.
Kim also did not attend the "Lotte Card personal information leak incident victim protection plan and recurrence prevention measures meeting" held the same day by lawmakers from the People Power Party on the National Policy Committee. Vice Chairman Yoon Jong-ha attended in place of Kim.
In March, Kim also failed to appear at the National Policy Committee's emergency inquiry into the Homeplus situation, citing an overseas business trip. At the time, he submitted a statement of reasons for nonattendance citing trips to Shanghai, China, and Hong Kong. With Vice Chairman Kim Kwang-il appearing instead, political circles strongly criticized Kim's absence.
Kim is also a key proposed witness for the October National Assembly inspection that will follow the hearing. As the National Policy Committee compiles witnesses for the 2025 inspection, multiple lawmakers' offices are said to have requested Kim as a witness.
The Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee held a full meeting on the 19th and approved items including the adoption of the hearing plan and requests for the attendance of witnesses. The committee selected as witnesses: ▲ KT CEO Kim Young-seop ▲ KT Network Division Head (Executive Vice President) Seo Chang-seok ▲ KT Information Security Managing Director Hwang Tae-seon ▲ MBK Partners Chairman Kim Byung-ju ▲ Lotte Card CEO Cho Jwa-jin ▲ Lotte Card Head of Information Security Office Choi Yong-hyeok.