“Celltrion Chairman Seo Jeong-jin’s Controversial Affiliates and Paternity Lawsuit”

[앵커]

This time, KBS is covering the news exclusively.

Celltrion is a group of conglomerates with a market cap of 23 trillion won.

Chairman Seo Jeong-jin, the largest shareholder of the holding company, returned to management two months ago as the third-richest person in Korea.

Last week, two affiliates were added to the Celltrion group.

Celltrion said it was a company run by relatives, but upon confirmation, Chairman Seo Jeong-jin gave birth to children outside of marriage, and the company was headed by the children’s biological mother.

Reporter Kim Cheong-yoon is the sole assistant.

[리포트]

This is the details of changes in affiliates of business groups subject to disclosure this year announced by the Fair Trade Commission.

It is said that two affiliates of Celltrion have been added.

Celltrion’s explanation was that it was a relative company of Chairman Seo Jeong-jin.

It is Mr. A who is listed as the representative in the company register.

Reporters confirmed that it was not a relative of Chairman Seo, but the mother of a sister who was recognized as Chairman Seo’s daughter in June of last year through a lawsuit.

To find out what happened, I met and heard Mr. A in person.

The first time Mr. A and Chairman Seo met was around July 2001.

Chairman Seo said he had a family, but he had two daughters with Mr. A, and he acted as a son-in-law to Mr. A’s family.

[A 씨 : “4년 후에 불편하지 않도록 모든 것을, 국내 말고 국외에서 결혼식을 하는 거에 대한 얘기도 했었죠.”]

The relationship, which lasted nearly 10 years, ended in 2012.

Mr. A claims that Chairman Seo, who was having difficulties managing the company, urged him to leave the country.

[A 씨 : “아이들 존재가 (알려지면) 회사가 무너질 수도 있으니까 당분간 좀 조용히 있어라…”]

Afterwards, Mr. A argued that Chairman Seo did not meet his daughters properly and did not play the role of a father.

He also requested genetic testing.

[A 씨 : “큰 아이가 캐나다에서 공부하고 있을 때 (아빠가) 아이를 만나러 간 줄 알았는데… ‘아빠가 내 머리카락을 뽑아갔어’.”]

The second daughter, who is in puberty, said that she had not been able to meet Chairman Seo for 11 years, and that her daughter first filed a request for an interview with the court.

[조성우/대리인 변호사 : “휴대전화 번호도 알려주지 않은 서 회장을 상대로 최소 한 달에 네 번 만나고, 두 번은 전화해 달라며 면접교섭을 청구하게 됐습니다.”]

Mr. A explained why he went to court and why he was disclosing all of this.

[A 씨 : “10년간의 고통으로 인해서 제가 일상하는데 힘들 정도로… 아이들이 겪은 상처와 고통에 대해서는 제가 그 생각만 해도 숨을 쉴 수가 없어요.”]

Regarding this, Chairman Seo tried to take care of the child, but Mr. A was unfaithful and the relationship was ruined.

He also said that he felt morally responsible for the relationship outside of marriage, but he said that he filed a complaint with the police today (2nd) for charges of extortion and defamation.

This is KBS News Kim Chung-yoon.

Cinematographer: Ha Jung-hyun/Video editing: Han Chan-eui/Graphic: Kim Seok-hoon

[앵커]

Let’s point out a few more things with reporter Kim Cheong-yoon, who covered this incident.

Reporter Kim! The fact that KBS reports this content is not simply a matter of the private life of the head of the company.

Wouldn’t it be a burden on the company if it went to court like this?

[기자]

Yes, the private life controversy of the head of the company itself can be an ‘owner risk’ to the company.

Chairman Seo Jeong-jin recently returned to management and accompanied President Yoon Seok-yeol on his visit to the United States.

Chairman Seo’s morality issue and the lawsuit may be a burden on corporate management, and there is a risk that good shareholders will be harmed.

Let’s listen to the words of Kim Nam-geun, chairman of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy.

[김남근/참여연대 정책자문위원장 : “기업의 이미지가 나빠지게 되면 기업의 주식 가치가 떨어져서 주주들한테도 큰 타격을 주게 되는데요. 총수 일가의 사회적으로 지탄받는 그런 행위가 일어나지 않도록 관리하는 것도 중요한…”]

[앵커]

Chairman Seo Jeong-jin is in the position that he paid enough child support. Do both sides admit this?

[기자]

Chairman Seo claimed to have given 28.8 billion won, of which 14 billion won was said to have evidence.

The birth mother admitted to receiving child support, but did not disclose the amount.

However, child support was not a reason for the lawsuit.

At the same time, he emphasized that the two daughters are legally in a position to share the inheritance.

[앵커]

Are you saying that even mentioning inheritance can affect the company’s equity structure?

[기자]

It’s a bit far-fetched, but legally possible.

Chairman Seo Jeong-jin currently owns about 98% of the holding company.

Since Chairman Seo has a spouse and two sons, the two daughters can inherit about 36% of the legal inheritance.

If Chairman Seo refuses, he can claim half of it through a lawsuit.

Of course, this is a story that came out amid intensifying quarrels on both sides, so we will have to watch the situation in the future.

[앵커]

Reporter Kim Cheong-yoon, I heard you well.