South Korean prosecutors to summon sunken ferry's owner

Seoul, May 13 (IANS) South Korea's prosecutors Tuesday said they will summon the de facto owner of sunken ferry Sewol's operator, Chonghaejin Marine, later this week over allegations of corruption.

Incheon District Prosecutors' Office has ordered Yoo Byung-eun, 73, who is widely believed to be the de facto owner of Chonghaejin Marine, to appear at the prosecutors' office by 10 a.m. Friday, Xinhua reported citing Yonhap news agency.

Prosecutors said Yoo and his family members may now face charges including embezzlement, dereliction of duty, tax evasion and bribery.

Prosecutors Monday also issued an arrest warrant for Yoo's eldest son Yoo Dae-gyun after he disobeyed summons. He was the biggest shareholder of four affiliates of their family business including a holding company of the operator of Sewol.

Prosecutors suspect Yoo's family established three shell companies to gather slush funds and illegally transfer money abroad by embezzling corporate funds, which may link closely with the poor safety management of the company.

Yoo's second son Yoo Hyeok-gi and eldest daughter Yoo Som-na, who currently live abroad, also evaded the office's investigation. They are suspected of managing the family's secret funds in overseas accounts.

Kim Han-shik, chief executive officer of Chonghaejin Marine, was arrested last Friday for overlooking the inveterate overloading, which led to the ferry's sinking.

He was also charged with accidental homicide and violation of the ship safety law. Four other Chonghaejin Marine executives and staff were arrested earlier on the same charges.

Meanwhile, South Korea's state auditor, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), said it would launch an inspection of government agencies this week, including the ministry of oceans and fisheries, the ministry of security and public administration, the coast guard as well as non-profit organisations such as the Korean Register of Shipping (KR) and the Korea Shipping Association (KSA), which came under public criticism for passive and uncoordinated response to the accident.

More than 50 inspectors will check the government's overall response to the disaster and prepare to establish basic measures to prevent similar accidents in future, officials said.

The 6,825-tonne Sewol capsized near Jindo Island off the southwestern coast of South Korea on April 16.

Among 476 passengers and crew on board the ill-fated ship were 325 students and 14 teachers from Danwon High School in Ansan, a city south of Seoul.

Until now, 276 people have been confirmed dead with 28 missing.