South Korean prosecutors summon Lotte Group family member

[SEOUL] South Korean prosecutors summoned the elder son of the founder of Lotte Group for questioning on Thursday, signalling the resumption of a criminal probe against the conglomerate following the suicide of a senior executive last week.

Shin Dong-joo was ordered to appear for questioning by 10am on Thursday, a spokesman for the son of Lotte founder Shin Kyuk-ho told Reuters. He did not comment on the reasons for the summons.

Prosecutors rescheduled their investigation last week after Lotte vice chairman Lee In-won was found dead on a walking and cycling path near Seoul, in an apparent suicide, hours before he was to be questioned.

A prosecution team of about 200 people raided Lotte offices in June.

Sources told Reuters at the time the prosecutors were looking into a possible slush fund as well as breach of trust involving transactions among the confections-to-chemicals group's companies.

REUTERS