Inside Story

Are political ties of S Korean businesses unravelling?

Tech giant Samsung’s chief arrested as several of country’s big firms implicated in political corruption scandal.

South Korea‘s big businesses, known as chaebols, have been largely credited for the country’s economic strength, and it is considered an honour to be hired by these multinational companies.

But that reputation may now be taking a hit.

Several of South Korea’s biggest businesses have been implicated in the corruption scandal which led to President Park Geun-hye‘s impeachment last year. And now Samsung’s chief JY Lee has been arrested over graft allegations.

Presenter: Hazem Sika

Guests:

Byungtae Lee – professor at KAIST College of Business and an information technology business specialist

Aidan Foster-Carter – senior research fellow in Sociology and Modern Korea at Leeds University

Alex Jensen – journalist and radio talk show host based in South Korea