Prosecutors summoned and questioned Chairman Kim Byung-joo of MBK Partners in connection with the "Homeplus Co. case."
On the 10th, according to legal sources, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (headed by Director General Lee Sang-hyeok) summoned and questioned Kim, who is suspected of fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes and fraudulent unfair transaction in violation of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act. This is the first time prosecutors have called in Kim for questioning.
Kim is suspected of causing losses to investors by issuing a large amount of short-term bonds while MBK executives, the major shareholder of Homeplus Co., were aware of a downgrade in Homeplus Co.'s credit rating.
Earlier in January, prosecutors sought arrest warrants for four people, including Kim; MBK Vice Chairman Kim Kwang-il (Homeplus Co. CEO); MBK Senior Vice President Kim Jeong-hwan; and Homeplus Co. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Lee Seong-jin, but the court rejected the requests. The court said, "Based on the materials submitted so far, there is insufficient proof of suspicion to justify arrest."
In response, prosecutors reassigned the case from Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 to Division 2, then conducted a full legal review of the case theory and continued to reinforce the investigation. After that, Division 2 sequentially summoned and questioned MBK Vice Chairman and Homeplus Co. Co-CEO Kim Kwang-il, MBK Senior Vice President Kim Jeong-hwan, and Homeplus Co. Executive Director Lee Seong-jin.