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Ban Ki-sang

The US government has reportedly asked South Korea to arrest the younger brother of former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“South Korea’s Ministry of Justice is in talks with the U.S. government after it requested the arrest of Ban Ki-sang,” Yonhap News quoted a source as saying in a Jan. 21 report.

According to the report, no official discussions have yet been held, but both sides are “exchanging views” on the matter of Ban Ki-sang’s arrest.

The younger Ban, a former adviser for Keangnam Enterprises, was indicted alongside his son Ban Joo-hyun by a Manhattan federal court on Jan. 10 on charges of bribery. The two are suspected of offering US$500,000 (600 million won) in bribes to officials in Qatar in 2014 while attempting to sell the Keangnam Enterprises-owned Landmark 72 building in Vietnam. They are also being charged with violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), money laundering, online financial fraud, and identity theft, which could result in even stiffer punishment. In addition, the two are suspected of exploiting Ban Ki-moon’s status as UN Secretary-General during the sale process. Ban Joo-hyun, who currently resides in the US, was arrested by local authorities, but was reportedly freed after indictment on bail of US$250,000 (around 295 million won).

Speaking the same morning, Ban Ki-moon said he “apologized for worrying people with my family‘s issues.”

“I know nothing about this incident, but if discussions are being held between South Korean and US legal authorities as reported, I hope the process takes place in a fair, transparent manner that resolves the public’s desire to know without a shred of suspicion,” he added.

By Heo Seung, staff reporter

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