Kang Ho-dong, National Agricultural Cooperative Federation chairman, returns to police after 10 days; summoned for a third time

[Financial News] Kang Ho-dong, chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF), who is suspected of misconduct including receiving cash and other valuables worth around 100 million won, appeared at the police station again after 10 days. It was his third summons for questioning, following those in April and on the 19th of this month.
According to police on the 29th, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency summoned Chairman Kang as a suspect this morning and is questioning him.
Kang is suspected of receiving about 100 million won in cash on two occasions from the head of a service contractor that did business with NACF affiliates, in exchange for business favors, around the January 2024 NACF chairman election.
In October last year, police searched the NACF chairman’s office and other locations and imposed a travel ban on Kang. On April 4, they summoned him for the first time and questioned him for more than 18 hours.
Alleged misuse of NACF funds is also under investigation. Some NACF departments are suspected of using about 240 million won in public funds from 2024 through last year to buy expensive gifts, including red ginseng and cosmetics, and deliver them to the chairman’s and vice chairman’s offices, among other places.
In June and July, police searched the NACF secretariat and other locations. Last month, a secretariat staff member involved in delivering gifts bought with public funds to the chairman’s office and other locations was arrested on suspicion of occupational embezzlement.
Police are also looking into allegations that Kang received large sums in condolence money from current and former NACF executives and employees, among others, when his mother-in-law died in May last year.
At the National Assembly’s audit by the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee on the 16th, Kang denied the allegations, saying that he had not instructed anyone to buy expensive gifts with public funds, nor conspired in or aided and abetted such purchases.
[email protected] Choi Seung-han Reporter