Special prosecutors investigating alleged corruption at South Korea's Samsung Group are to summon the wife of the conglomerate's chairman for questioning, according to the Associated Press. The report was quoting the mass-circulation, local Chosun Ilbo newspaper, which reported on its web site that Hong Ra-hee, married to Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, would be called this week.
Parliament and the country's former president approved an independent counsel investigation into South Korea's largest conglomerate last November after sensational allegations made by Samsung's former top lawyer, Kim Yong-chul. He claimed the conglomerate created a 200 billion won (€1.3 billion) slush fund with which to bribe government officials, judges and prosecutors. He also said that some of the money was used by Hong to buy works of art from abroad.
Samsung has denied the allegations.
South Korean media have reported that the Samsung chairman himself was likely to be summoned sometime before the end of the investigation in about three weeks.