April 18, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] SK Broadband chief Lee Hyung-hee has been banned from leaving the country in connection with the presidential scandal.

According to reports, the independent counsel looking into the scandal recently imposed a travel ban on Lee in addition to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won.

SK Group provided 11.1 billion won (US$9.21 million) to Mir and K-Sports foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye’s confidante accused of meddling in state-affairs and extortion.

The two foundations received tens of billions won from local conglomerates, and it has been alleged that SK Group, Samsung Group and others may have made the donations in return for favors from the government.

It has been alleged that SK Group may have expected preferential treatment in the process of selecting new duty-free store operators. The group, however, denies all related allegations saying that it was passed over three times in the license process.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)