Creating a 'VIP List' to Manage Recommended Candidates... Providing Employment Privileges
At the Time, Bank President Ham Young-joo, Chairman of Hana Financial Group, Acquitted in First Trial, Second Trial Underway
Personnel officers who committed hiring corruption during Hana Bank's new employee recruitment process have been found guilty.
The Supreme Court's 1st Division (Presiding Justice Oh Kyung-mi) announced on the 24th that it upheld the original sentence of one year in prison with a two-year probation and a fine of 2 million KRW for Song Mo (59), former head of Hana Bank's HR department, who was charged with obstruction of business and violation of the Gender Equality in Employment Act.
Kang Mo (60), the succeeding head of the HR department who was also tried, received a sentence of eight months in prison with a two-year probation and a fine of 1 million KRW. Former HR team leaders Oh Mo (54) and Park Mo (54) were each fined 10 million KRW. Under the dual punishment rule that penalizes both the perpetrators and the corporation, Hana Bank as a legal entity was fined 7 million KRW.
Ham Young-joo (67), Chairman of Hana Financial Group, who was indicted for ordering preferential treatment in hiring while serving as Hana Bank president at the time, was acquitted in the first trial. The prosecution appealed, and the second trial is ongoing.
They were prosecuted on charges of creating and managing a 'VIP list' file of recommended applicants during Hana Bank's new employee recruitment process, providing preferential treatment to applicants recommended by senior bank executives, branch managers' children or acquaintances, and key clients, as well as applicants from specific universities.
It was investigated that applicants listed on the recommendation list were given preferential treatment to proceed to the next interview stage even if they failed the document screening, provided their grades were not too low.
There were also allegations of pre-setting the male-to-female acceptance ratio to 4 to 1 or similar, hiring predominantly male applicants due to a shortage of male employees.
Both the first and second trials recognized the crime of obstruction of business for altering and manipulating scores of specific applicants to give them the opportunity to proceed to the next stage, sentencing those tried to suspended prison terms and fines.
The Supreme Court also agreed with the lower courts' rulings.
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