Police officers carry the body of former Keangnam Enterprise Chairman Sung Woan-jong down from a mountainside, Thursday. Sung is believed to have committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree on Mount Bukhan in northern Seoul the same day. / Korea Times Photo by Shim Hyun-chul



Probe into energy projects expected to hit wall

By Lee Kyung-min





The late Sung Woan-jong

Former Keangnam Enterprises Chairman Sung Woan-jong was found dead on Mount Bukhan in northern Seoul in an apparent suicide, Thursday.

He had been at the center of an investigation into the failed "energy diplomacy" of the previous Lee Myung-bak administration.

A police search dog discovered his body at 3:32 p.m. hanging from a tree near Jeongto Temple on the mountain, where his cell-phone signal was last captured, according to police.

Earlier in the day, a massive manhunt began after his son called police when he discovered a suicide note in Sung's home in Gangnam, southern Seoul.

In the note, Sung said that he would end his own life, and this would prove his innocence. "I did not do what I'm accused of," he wrote."Please bury me next to the grave of my mother."

Surveillance camera footage showed Sung leaving his house at 5:10 a.m. He wore a bomber jacket and a baseball cap.

He was scheduled to appear in court where a judge was to decide on whether to approve an arrest warrant the prosecution had sought against him.

Song's death is expected to put a damper on the ongoing probe.

The prosecution earlier said Song, a former lawmaker and close aide to Lee, allegedly peddled influence to receive 80 billion won ($74 million) in loans from the government and financial institutions for overseas resources development projects by fabricating his company's financial status from 2006 to 2013.

He allegedly embezzled 25 billion won of the fund and was engaged in accounting fraud to the tune of 950 billion won.

Sung held a press conference Wednesday and denied all the allegations against him.

"There were 86 companies that participated in the projects at the time. And I don't understand why Keangnam is being singled out," he said.

"Embezzling the money was impossible because we had to use company funds first and receive reimbursement from the government later. The allegations that the money was spent elsewhere before the reimbursement simply do not make sense," he added.

Last month, the prosecution raided his home and offices at Keangnam.

Later, his wife and the company's vice president, surnamed Han, were questioned over their roles in the alleged crimes.

Reportedly, prosecutors have already secured Han's testimony that Sung ordered him to create the slush fund via Keangnam affiliates.

The probe into Keangnam was part of the prosecution's widening investigation into major companies for the failed energy diplomacy.

Steel giant POSCO, Dongkuk Steel and the state-run Korea National Oil Corp. are also under scrutiny.

Meanwhile, Seoul Central District Court approved a rehabilitation plan for Keangnam and its two affiliates including Keangnam Investment, Tuesday, after they were declared insolvent last year.

Due to their insolvency, a total of 400 billion won in financial damages were incurred — 100 billion won for financial institutions and 300 billion won for its contractors.

Former Doosan Engine President Lee Sung-hee was named as the court-appointed arbitrator, the court said. The prosecution said the investigation into overseas energy projects would continue notwithstanding Sung's death.

Korean Language

경남기업 임직원 성완종 전회장 사망 소식에 '침통'

이성희 법정관리인 취임 날 비보…'회사 정상화 차질 빚나' 우려



경남기업 성완종 전회장의 사망 소식이 전해진 9일 서울 답십리 본사에 근무하던 200여명의 경남기업 임직원들은 침통함을 감추지 못했다.



이날 오전 성 전회장의 잠적 소식이 전해진 후부터 불안한 마음에 일손을 잡지 못하고 있던 임직원들은 경찰을 통해 성 회장의 사망 사실이 확인되자 할 말을 잃은 채 망연자실한 모습을 보이기도 했다.



특히 이 날은 이성희 경남기업 법정관리인이 취임해 본격적으로 회생작업을 추진하려던 첫 날이기도 해 직원들의 당혹감은 더욱 컸다.



회사의 한 관계자는 '유서와 잠적 소식이 전해졌을 때부터 좋지 않은 소식이 들려올까봐 불안했는데 막상 현실로 닥치니 충격이 너무 크다'며 '직원들 모두 회장님의 사망 소식에 애도하고 있다'고 말했다.



언론을 통해 공개되고 있는 검찰 조사 진행사항에 대해선 '성 회장이 이 부분에 대해 많이 억울해한 것으로 안다'면서도 '사실 여부는 우리도 알 수 없다'며 말을 아꼈다.



성 전회장의 사망으로 회사 정상화에 대한 우려의 목소리도 커지고 있다.



경남기업의 한 직원은 '채권단의 자금지원 거부로 법정관리를 신청했지만 회사를 살리는데 있어 오너가 있는 것과 없는 것은 큰 차이가 있지 않겠느냐'며 회사의 앞날을 걱정했다.



경남기업은 자원개발 비리와 관련한 검찰 조사와 채권단의 자금지원 중단으로 지난달 27일 서울중앙지방법원 파산25부(부장 이재권)에 법정관리를 신청했으며 지난 7일 회생절차 개시 결정이 내려졌다.



경남기업은 경찰 조사가 끝나고 성 전회장의 시신이 수습되는대로 장례 절차에 들어갈 예정이다.



회사 관계자는 '가족장으로 할지, 회사장으로 할 지는 아직 정해지지 않았다'며 '법정관리인, 유족 등과 협의해 결정할 것'이라고 말했다. (연합뉴스)