Companies disturbed by lawmakers’ audit ‘bullying’
Companies are expressing concerns over the looming National Assembly audit, as lawmakers plan to summon more than 100 chief executives or senior executives to question them about their businesses, according to industry officials, Monday.
They said they respect lawmakers’ duty to look into any potential wrongdoing by businesses, but sometimes the representatives seem to be only seeking to embarrass CEOs with issues that have little or nothing to do with national affairs.
The National Assembly will begin its 20-day annual audit today, and the respective committees will call in the 100 businessmen as witnesses.
The Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee plans to grill LG Chem CEO Shin Hak-cheol, GS Caltex CEO Hur Sae-hong and Kumho Petrochemical co-CEO Moon Dong-joon and a number of other chemical firm chiefs during its sessions.
They are expected to be questioned on allegations that their companies affiliates at the Yeosu Industrial Complex in South Jeolla Province, manipulated their emissions data. Also, LG Chem and Samsung SDI vice presidents will face questions about a series of fires that engulfed more than 20 energy storage systems nationwide.
E-mart CEO Lee Gap-su will attend the committee’s meeting to answer queries on whether large discount chains affect the businesses of mom-and-pop shops in nearby traditional markets.
Lawmakers’ demands for their testimony are not confined to companies directly related to each committee.
The Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans, and Fisheries Committee plans to summon Samsung Electronics Co-Vice Chairman Yoon Boo-keun, POSCO President Chang In-hwa, Hanwha Corp. President Choi Sun-mok and other presidents of leading conglomerates to question them over their “tepid” contributions to a fund for the agriculture and fisheries industries.
Among chaebol leaders, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dongbin will appear before the Health and Welfare Committee, which demanded his appearance to answer questions about the allegation that Lotte Food abused its power with its midsize suppliers.
Foreign companies’ heads are also summoned for the questioning. Audi Volkswagen Korea General Manager Rene Koneberg and Porsche Korea CEO Holger Gerrmann will appear before the Environment and Labor Committee, which will question the two over alleged emissions rigging.
While industry officials noted that the executives have no option but to answer lawmakers’ summons, they expressed concerns that some of the appearance demands were aimed at drawing interest to the audit, not to addressing the problems.