Prosecution has asked Interpol to search for Koo Bon-hyun, 51, the nephew of LG Honorary Chairman Koo Ja-kyung, as he left the country after being investigated for allegedly manipulating stock prices.
The Financial Investigation Division 1 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office said on May 27 that it has asked for Interpol's search for Koo and taken measures to nullify the passport against Koo, who is suspected of embezzlement and breach of the capital market law under the specific economic crime-weighted punishment law.
According to prosecutors, Koo is suspected of acquiring KOSDAQ-listed wireless data communication terminal maker A and game software developer B through a paper company with accomplices and acquiring about 14.5 billion won in unfair profits from stock price hikes through false disclosures, and embezzling or breach of trust of company funds amounting to 22.7 billion won. Koo served as the former chairman of the company A.
Koo began being questioned by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) in early August last year and left for the Netherlands in early October the same year. Since then, the FSS has asked the prosecution to investigate Koo in early November last year, and an investigation is underway, but Koo's whereabouts have not been confirmed.
Koo was released from prison in June 2012 after receiving a three-year prison term confirmed by the Supreme Court on charges of manipulating stock prices to pocket tens of billions of won. He was indicted again in 2013 on charges of borrowing 1.5 billion won without being able to pay back his debts.