South Korea’s Kangwon Land accused of favouritism

Three companies have won over half of the state-run casino’s tenders since 2013.

South Korea.- An opposition legislator has raised questions about the state-run casino Kangwon Land, alleging that tenders have favoured companies owned by the same family.  

According to representative Ku Ja-keun of the opposition People Power Party, more than half of procurements since 2013 have been granted to three companies owned by relatives of Suh Kyung-bae, chairman of AmorePacific Group.

Taeshin Inpack, Nongshim Data System Corp (NDS) and KGS have won three out of four bids in the last two years, despite irregularities reported in their procedures, he alleged.

Suh Kyung-bae is the son-in-law of NDS chairman Shin Chun-ho and a cousin of the heads of Taeshin and KGS. 

Ku is calling for the Board of Audit and Inspection to launch a probe after it was discovered NDS was awarded an electronic table games contract even though its proposal was submitted after deadline. He says that to review the company’s bid, the casino violated a clause that states all bids to be opened simultaneously.  

Kangwon Land, the only South Korean casino at which local residents are allowed to gamble, reopened this month after a second lockdown.