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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 9 april 2019

Korean Air boss dies weeks after board removal over scandals

By KIM TONG-HYUNG tary, but he later said he
Associated Press left the committee under
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) "unjust" pressure from the
— Korean Air's chairman, government of former con-
whose leadership includ- servative President Park
ed scandals such as his Geun-hye. The committee
daughter's infamous inci- had rejected an Olympic
dent of "nut rage," has died construction deal for a
due to illness, the company Swiss company that report-
said Monday. edly had a business part-
Cho Yang-ho had been in- nership with Choi Soon-sil, a
dicted on multiple charges, longtime friend and mentor
including embezzlement of Park.
and tax evasion, and his Park is now serving a lengthy
death came two weeks prison term over multiple
after shareholders voted corruption charges.
to remove the 70-year-old South Korean prosecutors
from the company's board indicted Cho last October
over a series of scandals on multiple charges, in-
surrounding his family. cluding evading taxes and
Cho's death will likely force pocketing tens of millions of
a court to dismiss his crimi- dollars through embezzle-
nal case. ment and breach of trust.
The company said in a His trial had been expect-
statement that Cho died In this July 5, 2018 file photo, Cho Yang-ho, the chairman of Korean Air Lines Co., arrives for hear- ed to begin in the coming
ing to review the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant on charge of embezzlement at the
at a hospital in Los Angeles Seoul Southern District Court in Seoul, South Korea. weeks.
but did not specify his illness Associated Press Cho was previously con-
or provide other details. victed of tax evasion in
Cho had remained chair- worldwide notoriety in 2014 they were subjected to mis- rean Air, which began in 2000, facing charges with
man, which is a non-board after she ordered a Korean treatment and tantrums. 1969 with eight planes, now his father and brother. The
role, even after sharehold- Air passenger plane to re- Cho's wife was summoned operates 166 aircraft with Chos were charged with
ers ousted him from the turn to a terminal at John F. last May by South Kore- international flights to 111 receiving millions in rebates
board. He had expressed Kennedy International Air- an police to question her cities in 43 countries. when they purchased air-
his intent to continue par- port in New York because about allegations that she Cho was also the chair- planes from Boeing and Air-
ticipating in management. she was angry that the abused and assaulted em- man of the Hanjin Group, bus and evading taxes on
A senior Korean Air execu- crew served her macada- ployees. Lee Myung-hee a global transportation the money. The tax probe
tive said Cho had been mia nuts in a bag instead was accused of physically conglomerate of dozens came after the country's
receiving treatment for of on a plate. or verbally abusing more of companies that includes president criticized Korean
an unspecified lung illness The incident, dubbed "nut than 10 former and current the airline. He was also was Air's poor safety record.
since late last year and that rage," generated interna- employees of Korean Air's the co-chairman of the The Cho family scandals
his condition "worsened tional headlines and se- parent company. Korea-U.S. Business Council have increased public criti-
rapidly" following the share- verely tarnished the Cho Cho's younger daughter, and vice chairman of the cism about South Korea's
holder vote, apparently family's image, while high- Cho Hyun-min, also was Federation of Korean In- "chaebol," a privileged
because of shock and lighting broader concerns investigated by state pros- dustries. group of family-owned
stress. The executive didn't about the sense of entitle- ecutors for potential assault He was involved in the bid- conglomerates that have
want to be named, citing ment among the moneyed for allegedly hurling a cup ding process and prepa- been tied to corruption
office rules. elite in South Korea. of water during a business rations for the 2018 Winter and exploitive behavior.
Korean Air's corporate flag Cho Hyun-ah was sen- meeting. No charges were Olympics held in South Ko- Korean Air shareholders'
and the South Korean flag tenced to one year in pris- filed. rea's ski resort town of Py- successful removal of Cho
were flown half-staff at the on for violating aviation Before his reputation eongchang and headed from the company's board
company's headquarters in law but was released early was hit by scandals, Cho the Olympic organizing was seen as a milestone in
downtown Seoul. when a higher-level court Yang-ho, who led Korean committee for two years a country that has been
Cho's eldest daughter, Cho suspended the sentence. Air since 1992, had been before stepping down in long criticized for its lax en-
Hyun-ah, who was formerly The Cho family also faced credited for overseeing the 2016. forcement of corporate-
the head of the airline's intense criticism after com- company's growth into one Cho's resignation was ini- governance rules on large
cabin service, received pany employees alleged of Asia's biggest airlines. Ko- tially described as volun- companies.q