Lotte chairman charged in connection with corruption

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April 17, 2017 12:06 PM

Shin Dong-Bin is accused of using more than $6 million to bribe Park and her secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil.

Lotte group chairman Shin Dong-Bin speaking during a press conference at the Lotte hotel in Seoul on August 11, 2015

South Korean prosecutors on Monday charged the chairman of retail giant

Shin Dong-Bin is accused of using more than $6 million to bribe Park and her secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil, the prosecutors said on the same day they charged Park with bribery and abuse of power.

Shin, 62, allegedly offered seven billion won ($6.15 million) to a sports foundation linked to Choi in exchange for a policy favour from Park over Lotte's duty-free business.

Choi is on trial for coercion and abuse of power. She allegedly used her presidential ties to force local firms to "donate" nearly $70 million to non-profit foundations which she allegedly used for personal gain.

Now Choi faces an additional charge of bribery involving Shin, the prosecutors said.

Park is accused of colluding with Choi and offering policy favours to top businessmen who enriched her friend. These are alleged to include Shin and Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong, who was arrested earlier and is also on trial for bribery.

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