South Korea's National Tax Service has commenced an investigation into Kia Motors Corp., with some speculating that it could be linked to a separate probe into auto parts maker DAS Inc., Yonhap News Agency reported March 11, citing "industry sources."
The country's tax office reportedly sent inspectors to the company's headquarters in Seoul to conduct a regular two- or three-month probe into conglomerates, which happens once every four or five years. Kia was last inspected in 2012, the report said.
Yonhap said the DAS investigation involves former South Korea President Lee Myung-bak. South Korean daily The Hankyoreh reported Feb. 19 that prosecutors deemed Lee the owner of DAS, which reportedly could lay the groundwork for a bribery case against the former president after it was found that Samsung Group and Hyundai Motor Co. were allegedly paying DAS' legal fees.
