South Korea’s only locals casino
Two members of South Korea’s Liberty Korea Party were indicted last week in connection with a hiring scandal at Kangwon Land Inc., operator of the only casino in the country where locals may gamble.
Representatives Kweon Seong-dong and Yeom Dong-yeol were charged with abuse of power and business interference, according to KBS World Radio. They are accused of using their influence to illegally secure jobs with the casino operator. According to reports, between November 2012 and April 2013, the two lawmakers pressured Kangwon Land to hire respectively 50 people who were personal acquaintances.
In March, South Korea President Moon Jae-in ordered the dismissal of 226 Kangwon Land employees who apparently got their jobs because of who they knew, reported the Yonhap News Agency. In 2017, Kangwon Land admitted that between mid-2011 and early 2014, 95 percent of all staff hired—almost 500 people—were hired either because of their political connections or because they had personal relationships with former CEO Choi Heung-jip, reported GGRAsia.
