It was reported that police had closed an investigation into allegations that LG Electronics abetted a man, only identified by his surname Kim, in bribing a police officer to open an investigation into an LG Electronics supplier.
Confessing to having bribed a police officer, Kim offered information on when and where he delivered bribes to the police officer and even the exact amounts. Kim also claimed that the police officer promised him to arrest the LG supplier. Police have obtained the detailed statements from Kim, but they ended their investigation into the case. Thus, considerable controversy is likely to arise over whether police let LG Electronics off the hook.
The CEO of the LG supplier, only identified by his surname Kang, filed a complaint with the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) against LG Electronics back in 2008. Circumstantial evidence indicates that LG Electronics put Kim, CEO of another LG supplier, up to reporting to the police that Kang had committed embezzlement and breach of trust and bribing the police officer to arrest Kang.
Having a guilty conscience, Kim blew the whistle on himself and LG. He confessed that he had attempted to push Kang into a legal quagmire after receiving hundreds of millions of won in kickbacks from LG.
On Dec. 2, 2015, Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency’s white color crime investigation team summoned Kim and Kang to question them over the allegations.
According to The Gyeongnam Domin Ilbo, Kim sued Kang, who had filed a complaint against LG for employing unfair trade tactics, in a bid to bring about Kang’s downfall. And in the process, Kim delivered a total of 2.5 million won to the police officer in charge of the investigation into Kang, according to Kim.
Kim recounted the details of how he delivered the money to the police officer. According to Kim, the police officer gave Kim his word that he would put Kang behind bars.
