The patriarch of South Korean flag carrier Korean Air was grilled by prosecutors yesterday over alleged tax evasion and other crimes, as a series of probes reached the top of the troubled business dynasty.
Cho Yang Ho, 69, and his brothers and a sister allegedly avoided paying 50 billion won (HK$350 million) in taxes on the overseas assets they inherited after their father Cho Choong Hoon died in 2002.
"I am sorry. I will sincerely face the investigation," Cho told journalists when he appeared at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office.
Cho is chairman of the Hanjin Group, which includes Korean Air and used to own the now-bankrupt Hanjin Shipping line.
He also faces allegations of embezzling over 20 billion won from company funds and unfairly awarding contracts to companies controlled by his family members.
A series of scandals have made the Cho family notorious. Cho's wife and children are being probed over alleged assaults, smuggling and illegal hiring of foreign housekeepers.
The two daughters, who held management positions at Korean Air, became viral sensations for temper tantrums.
The elder, Cho Hyun Ah, made global headlines in 2014 for kicking a cabin crew chief off a Korean Air plane after he served her macadamia nuts in a bag rather than a bowl. She later served a short prison sentence.
Earlier this year, her younger sister Cho Hyun Min was accused of throwing a drink in a manager's face at a business meeting.
His wife, Lee Myung Hee, has been questioned over multiple assault allegations and suspicions that she used company resources to illegally hire foreign housekeepers.
Cho himself received a suspended jail sentence for tax evasion in 2000 and is awaiting trial for diverting 30 billion won of company funds for renovating his house.
