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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Lotte vice chairman Lee In-won found dead | Lotte vice chairman Lee In-won found dead |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The vice chairman of South Korea's Lotte Group has been found dead hours before he was to be questioned in a corruption probe. | The vice chairman of South Korea's Lotte Group has been found dead hours before he was to be questioned in a corruption probe. |
| The firm confirmed the death of Lee In-won but did not give a cause of death. | The firm confirmed the death of Lee In-won but did not give a cause of death. |
| The 69-year-old was to be questioned on Friday in an investigation into a possible slush fund and financial irregularities in the company. | The 69-year-old was to be questioned on Friday in an investigation into a possible slush fund and financial irregularities in the company. |
| According to local media, investigators found a suicide note in his car. | According to local media, investigators found a suicide note in his car. |
| Mr Lee was one of the most senior executives in the Lotte Group, holding the highest position outside the founding family that still runs the firm. | Mr Lee was one of the most senior executives in the Lotte Group, holding the highest position outside the founding family that still runs the firm. |
| He was also the closest aide to chairman Shin Dong-bin who is embroiled in a family feud with his older brother over control of the company founded by their father. | He was also the closest aide to chairman Shin Dong-bin who is embroiled in a family feud with his older brother over control of the company founded by their father. |
| In June, prosecutors reportedly raided Lotte offices to investigate the suspected slush fund and allegations of breaches of trust regarding transactions between the conglomerate's companies. | In June, prosecutors reportedly raided Lotte offices to investigate the suspected slush fund and allegations of breaches of trust regarding transactions between the conglomerate's companies. |
| About 200 officials searched Lotte's headquarters in Seoul, several subdivisions of the firm and the homes of key executives, local media said at the time. | About 200 officials searched Lotte's headquarters in Seoul, several subdivisions of the firm and the homes of key executives, local media said at the time. |
| Lotte Group is involved a variety of sectors including hotels, chemicals, food and retail. | Lotte Group is involved a variety of sectors including hotels, chemicals, food and retail. |
| It is Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate and is considered one of Korea's family-run "chaebols" which are known to have complex ownership structures. | It is Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate and is considered one of Korea's family-run "chaebols" which are known to have complex ownership structures. |
| Analysis: Stephen Evans, BBC Korea correspondent | Analysis: Stephen Evans, BBC Korea correspondent |
| Lotte, like other big South Korean companies, is owned and controlled primarily by one family. | Lotte, like other big South Korean companies, is owned and controlled primarily by one family. |
| But the vice-chairman, Lee In-won, - now deceased - was a trusted outsider who had worked for the company for four decades. | But the vice-chairman, Lee In-won, - now deceased - was a trusted outsider who had worked for the company for four decades. |
| Before Mr Lee's death, South Korean prosecutors were investigating the source of hundreds of millions of dollars in family accounts. | Before Mr Lee's death, South Korean prosecutors were investigating the source of hundreds of millions of dollars in family accounts. |
| Lotte, like other giant South Korean conglomerates is a maze of companies, with exact ownership unclear. The allegation was that money moved invisibly - and illegally - between the 60 subsidiaries, and from company accounts to personal accounts of family members. | Lotte, like other giant South Korean conglomerates is a maze of companies, with exact ownership unclear. The allegation was that money moved invisibly - and illegally - between the 60 subsidiaries, and from company accounts to personal accounts of family members. |
| The dead man was a loyal servant of the family and the company, privy to its secrets. South Korean media said he left a suicide note saying the chairman for whom he worked was innocent of wrong-doing. | The dead man was a loyal servant of the family and the company, privy to its secrets. South Korean media said he left a suicide note saying the chairman for whom he worked was innocent of wrong-doing. |
| It is not clear where this leaves the investigation. | It is not clear where this leaves the investigation. |
| South Korea has the highest rate of suicide among the industrialised OECD countries. | |
| On the latest figures, the country had 29 suicides for every 100,000 people, compared with 22 per 100,000 in Hungary (the next worst) and 19 in Japan. | |
| The reason isn't clear. Part of it may be the ancient weight put on personal shame in the culture. But some also blame the high pressure to succeed. |