April 20, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Cho Hyun-ah, the infamous “nut rage” heiress to Korean Air, was questioned by the immigration office on May 24 over fresh allegations that she illegally hired housekeepers from the Philippines.

Cho, the daughter of Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, presented herself at the Seoul office of the Korea Immigration Service just before 1 p.m.


 

Cho Hyun-ah

Wearing a blue shirt and cardigan, she stopped briefly in front of a swarm of reporters and camera crews.   

“I am sorry for causing trouble,” the 44-year-old said in a faint voice, lowering her head.

She faces allegations that she has recruited at least 20 Filipino maids over the past decade by sponsoring them with traineeship visas against the law.

The authorities believe the housekeepers were hired by Korean Air on paper, but in fact worked as maids for Cho and her mother Lee Myung-hee in their Seoul mansions.

It was another inglorious public appearance for the former vice president of Korean Air and heiress to the conglomerate that has businesses ranging from the air carrier to hotels. She was released from jail in May 2015 after the top court suspended her sentence over the 2014 nut rage case.

The Cho family is under intense scrutiny by both public and law enforcement over mounting allegations ranging from abuse of power, assaults and tax evasion to smuggling of luxury goods.

Lee Myung-hee, the chairman’s wife, is suspected of involvement in the illegal hiring of foreign maids and will be questioned, the immigration office said. She is also set to be grilled by police next week over other assault and abuse allegations.

By Song Seung-hyun and newswires (ssh@heraldcorp.com)