HANJIN GROUP CONTROVERSY

[Anchor Lead]

The widow and daughter of the deceased chairman of the Hanjin Group, have received suspended sentences for illegally hiring Filipino maids with the help of Korean Air employees. Prosecutors initially sought only a fine for the two, but the court issued a heavier sentence because of the seriousness of the crime and the high likelihood of criticism it may trigger.

[Pkg]

The family that owns Hanjin Group came under fire last year after a Korean Air employee disclosed that the family illegally hired Filipino maids, who also entered Korea illegally. An investigation revealed that Lee Myung-hee, now the widow of the deceased chairman of the Hanjin Group, ordered Korean Air employees to help her family with private matters even though she lacked an official position in the group.

[Soundbite] LEE MYUNG-HEE (WIDOW OF LATE HANJIN GROUP CHAIRMAN CHO YANG-HO (JUN. 2018)): "I will undergo the interrogation faithfully."

[Soundbite] CHO HYUN-AH (FMR. VICE PRESIDENT OF KOREAN AIR (MAY 2018)): "I apologize for the disturbance."

About one year after the probe began, the court of first instance issued a verdict. Lee Myung-hee was sentenced to one year and six months detention suspended for three years, while her daughter, Cho Hyun-ah, received one year detention suspended for two years and a fine of 20 million won. The court found the two guilty of disguising Filipino nationals as Korean Air trainees to bring them to Korea and employ them as maids. Prosecutors investigating the matter initially sought only a fine for Lee and Cho. However, the court decided to sentence them to jail time, because a fine is not commensurate with the criticism it may trigger. In other words, the court found the two women's crimes too serious to punish with just a fine. The judges pointed out that the two abused their status as members of the Hanjin owning family to engage Korean Air employees in the crime. Stepping out of the court, Lee and Cho declined to answer reporters' questions.

[Soundbite] "(Did you expect a prison term sentence?) ……."

Cho is said to have stayed in the court building for about ten minutes longer to avoid journalists.