Son Suk and former Minister Lee Hee-beom sent to prosecution over Japanese-made golf clubs

Former Environment Minister Son Suk and former Minister of Industry and Resources Lee Hee-beom (currently Chairman of Booyoung) were referred to the prosecution on charges of receiving expensive golf clubs from a Japanese golf club sales company.

Son Sook, Former Minister of Environment

According to the police on the 3rd, the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency sent Son Suk, Lee Hee-beom, and eight others including journalists to the prosecution without detention on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act (commonly known as the Kim Young-ran Act).

Former Minister of Industry and Resources Lee Hee-beom [Photo by Yonhap News]

According to the police, they were investigated to have received golf clubs worth over 1 million won from Orient Golf, the Korean distributor of the Japanese golf brand Yamaha, between 2018 and 2021. Son, a theater actor, served as the chairman of the Seoul Arts Center during this period, and Lee served as the chairman of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Organizing Committee.

The police also referred four people, including the CEO of Orient Golf who handed over the golf clubs, to the prosecution without detention.

The Improper Solicitation and Graft Act prohibits giving public officials gifts exceeding 1 million won at one time or 3 million won annually, regardless of job relevance or compensation. Violations can result in imprisonment of up to three years or fines up to 30 million won.