South Korean prosecutors will question Hyundai Motor chairman Chung Mong-koo on Monday over allegations the group was involved in illegal political lobbying, according to Reuters.

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The report noted that South Korea’s top car maker apologised on Wednesday over the bribery scandal and said its chairman’s family would donate $US1bn of stock in an affiliate company to charity.


On top of that, Reuters added, Hyundai, Kia and Ssangyong Motor were also hit on Friday as unionised workers went on strike for four hours to protest proposed legislation on temporary workers – they held a similar action last Friday.


The companies reportedly said the stoppages would affect or delay production of more than 2,500 vehicles.


“We will summon Chung Mong-koo at 10am on Monday,” Chae Dong-wook, a senior prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, told Reuters, adding the probe into suspected slush funds and other alleged wrongdoing at the group was in its final stages.

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Prosecutors summoned Chung Eui-sun, president of Kia and son of the Hyundai chairman, on Thursday as part of its probe, and questioned him into the early hours of Friday. Chae reportedly said the younger Chung may be called back for further questioning.


Reuters said that three men have so far been arrested as part of the probe and some Hyundai executives have been barred from travelling abroad.


The company was also reported to have postponed indefinitely a ground-breaking ceremony for affiliate Kia’s new plant in the US state of Georgia originally scheduled for early May.


Reuters noted that officials at Hyundai have said business has not been affected by the probe, which coincides with a push to expand overseas – the company aims to become the world’s fifth-biggest car maker by 2010.