Police are investigating the chairman of a conglomerate on charges of ordering revenge attacks on people who had quarreled with his son. An officer with Seoul Namdaemun Police Station said Tuesday police are acting on information that the chairman identified as Kim ordered his bodyguards to carry out a revenge attack on customers at a bar who engaged in a scuffle with his son. Staff at the conglomerate deny the allegation.

According to police, Kim's second son was engaged in a quarrel with a group of customers at a bar in Cheondam-dong in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district. In the middle of quarrel, the younger Kim was pushed by one of the group and fell down the stairs, sustaining injuries to his face. Police are investigating allegations that the chairman then mobilized some 20-30 bodyguards who abducted the group and roughed them up.

They are also probing charges that Kim senior himself then caught up with and assaulted a member of the group at another bar where the fugitive member works. Kim then allegedly bought drinks for all staff of the second bar after the violence. The conglomerate admits that Kim and son visited the bar. But a spokesman with the group said, "There was no violence at the bar. Kim drank boilermakers with (the alleged victim) in reconciliation." Kim's son now studies at Yale University in the U.S.

Seoul Metropolitan Police started acting on a tip-off at the end of March, but there has been almost no progress. "We sent summons to the alleged victims but they did not reply, and deny violence,” an officer said. “The investigation is stalled because Kim is overseas for medical treatment and his son is studying abroad."

(englishnews@chosun.com )