Corporate Scandals

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Following the recent ousting of Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho, the head of the beleaguered Kumho Asiana Group has also stepped down on his own, arousing criticism for trying to evade responsibility.

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Share trading at Asiana Airlines was halted on March 22 because the company received a negative opinion from an auditor regarding its financial status. The audit report showed the airliner's operating income plunged 89 percent on-year, while its net losses had surpassed 190 billion won. Asiana's share trading was resumed four days later, but this time around its credit rating could be downgraded. If the firm's credit rating is downgraded, it will have to pay off its one-trillion-won debt prematurely. Kumho Asiana Group chief Park Sam-koo eventually decided to step down. He stepped down from posts as chairman of Kumho Asiana Group, as well as CEO and board director of Asiana Airlines and Kumho Industrial. Earlier, Park requested the Korea Development Bank help normalize business operations at Asiana. However, the bank said that Park must exert efforts first to regain market trust. The Industrial Bank of Korea plans to draft a normalization plan after receiving a report from Kumho regarding Park's resignation and the group's own measures. Regardless of the decision to step down, Park Sam-koo and his son will still be the actual owners of Kumho Asiana Group through Kumho Express, the group's de facto holding company.

[Soundbite] Prof. Lee Chang-min(Hanyang University) : "The biggest concern is that Park may return to his post after avoiding the storm. If that happens, the aftermath will be enormous."

Attention now shifts to what kind of measures will be taken at the shareholders meeting of Asiana Airlines and Kumho Industrial on Friday.