Ex-Ssangbangwool chief arrested in Thailand while fleeing corruption allegations

SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- The former chairman of Ssangbangwool Group, who had fled the country in the wake of several high-profile corruption investigations, has been arrested in Thailand, according to legal sources Tuesday.

According to the sources, Kim Seong-tae, the former chairman, was apprehended by local police at a golf club Tuesday evening, roughly eight months after he departed for Singapore ahead of a raid by the prosecution in late May.

Prosecutors suspect Kim is a key figure in a number of high-profile corruption investigations surrounding the group, including those involving alleged transfer of cash remittances to North Korea and the purported payment for attorney expenses of Lee Jae-myung, the head of the main opposition Democratic Party.

Most of the allegations under probe occurred during Kim's tenure as group chairman, according to sources.

mlee@yna.co.kr
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