Prosecutors raided the Samsung Economic Research Institute while investigating the alleged collapse of Samsung’s labor union, the ‘Seoul Economy’ reported on August 20th.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office raided the Samsung Economic Research Institute. The prosecution reportedly sent investigators and prosecutors to secure computer hard disks and internal documents from the
Samsung Economic Research Institute. Moreover, the prosecution had filed a warrant for seizure of the Samsung Economic Research Institute in June, but it was rejected and could not be enforced.
An official of the prosecution said, “We have been searching and confiscating because there is data to look at.”
The law sees the prosecutors’ seizure of the Samsung Economic Research Institute as a reinforcement of investigations into Mr. Kang, a former Vice-president of Samsung Group’s Future Strategy Office, whose arrest warrant was rejected on August 18th.
As the prosecution is reviewing the arrest warrants for Mr. Kang, it is searching for seizures for additional data acquisition and further investigations.
“As an executive who oversees Samsung Group’s labor union activities, the suspect (Mr. Kang) was not only involved in the labor activities of its affiliate Samsung Electronics Services and its partners, but was routinely involved in the activities of union activities through conspiracy,” said the Seoul Central District Court
Some observers say that the seizure of Samsung Economic Research Institute is aimed at targeting its senior executives after the investigation on Kang is successful.
“We can analyze the data obtained through the seizure and immediately reclaim the arrest warrant for Mr. Kang. Furthermore, the summon investigation against Lee Sang-hoon, Chairman of Samsung Electronics’ board of directots, who served as head of Samsung Electronics’ management support division when the union was established, will be decided shortly,” said an legal officer to ‘Seoul Economy’.
