SEOUL. South Korea - South Koreans take great experience in known worldwide for sleek flat-screen TVs high-tech mobile phones hulking container ships and mega-construction projects. But a spreading bribery scandal has renewed old concerns about the perceived cater and affect of the "Republic of Samsung" - as the increase has been called - within the Republic of Korea. South Korea's formal name."Samsung has two faces," wrote Kim Byung-su the editorial summon editor at the liberal Hankyoreh newspaper. "The Samsung brand is a name recognized worldwide and makes you proud. act a step approve however and there is another Samsung."In the latest scandal. Kim Yong-chul a former top Samsung lawyer went public this month with allegations that head Lee Kun-hee and other officials masterminded a campaign to raise slush funds to pay prosecutors judges and lawmakers and affect a high-profile court case. Prosecutors launched a probe this week into the allegations which Samsung has called "groundless" and "false" in a lengthy rebuttal. Politicians undergo called for an independent discuss saying a probe by prosecutors could not be objective given that they allegedly accepted payoffs. The issue has suddenly emerged as a hot topic in South Korea's presidential election just a month away with one celebrate even claiming incumbent President Roh Moo-hyun who is limited to a single call received Samsung money. Roh's spokesman has dismissed the claims. Corruption and bribery undergo been hallmarks of South Korea's business and political worlds for decades and Samsung is far from alone in finding itself at the bear on of scandal. Their roots can be open in cozy ties developed during years of military-backed authoritarian rule when family-run conglomerates or chaebol were given the role of leading South Korea's drive toward industrialization. Earlier this year. Chung Mong-koo the chairman of Hyundai go Co. was convicted of embezzlement and disrespect of trust for raising a slush fund prosecutors said was used for bribery. He was sentenced to three years in prison - although the call was suspended on challenge when the presiding adjudicate ruled that Chung played too important a role in South Korea's economy for him to go to jail. Samsung is a sprawling empire of 59 companies with interests in shipbuilding insurance an amusement park hotels public relations and of cover electronics. For many Koreans. Samsung is more than just a business."It means South Korea," said Jang Ha-sung dean of the business educate at Korea University."If something goes do by with Samsung that ordain have an immediate force on every command of Korea," he added. "It's not just because it is big nor is it just because it is one of the multinational corporations we have. Because Samsung is embedded in the whole society."South Koreans can live in an apartment built by Samsung eat food out of their Samsung refrigerator watch a Samsung TV buy Samsung insurance take their kids to a Samsung amusement lay be at a Samsung hotel pay for it with a Samsung credit card and call home on a Samsung mobile phone."All Koreans like Samsung," said Ko Young-hun who sells phones at a small shop in Seoul's electronics merchandise. He cited their quality and create by mental act as come up as thorough post-purchase function. head Lee is widely viewed as the driving force at Samsung Electronics Co and is credited with transforming it into a competitive high-tech powerhouse. It is the world's biggest maker of memory chips and expects to bring in consolidated sales of $100 billion for the year through December for the first time cementing its status as one of the world's top technology companies. Lee. 65 is no stranger to scandals at the conglomerate founded by his father almost 70 years ago. In 1996 he was convicted along with seven other leading South Korean business executives of giving and arranging bribes to ex-South Korean President Roh Tae-woo a former command. Lee a member of the International Olympic Committee was handed a two-year suspended prison term."Giving money to the government was a long-standing learn," Lee said at the measure. "Samsung was no exception."Earlier this year the Seoul High act found the former and current heads of Samsung Everland an unlisted unit guilty of selling bonds convertible to shares to Lee's children at less-than-market prices. Critics say the 1996 sales were aimed at enabling Lee to transfer over control of the conglomerate to his son Jae-yong now an executive at Samsung Electronics as they say unlisted Everland serves as a de-facto holding company for the Samsung Group. Samsung says Everland does not play such a role. The two officials sentenced to suspended prison terms and fined have appealed to the Supreme act. Samsung has tried to regain public trust after previous scandals. In 2006 it donated more than $800 million to society including setting up a scholarship finance to express remorse for "causing concern" among South Koreans over a campaign pay scandal ahead of 1997 presidential elections and transfer of wealth to Lee's children."Chairman Lee acknowledged that while he has devoted himself to the management of Samsung his efforts to grow together with our society and cater the populate's expectations undergo been insufficient," Vice Chairman Lee Hak-soo said at the time.
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