Lotte Group Chairman Says Group Has Nothing to Do with THAAD Deployment

During an interview with CNN on April 4, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin said, “"I think there's a lot of misunderstandings about our position, and we have nothing to do with the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile deployment in South Korea. I would like to explain that."

Shin tried to send the message to the Chinese government several times through the Chinese ambassador in Seoul but he has failed to bear fruit. He said, “Lotte would ultimately have had no choice because it was a matter of national security. I have held several meetings with the Chinese ambassador in South Korea to discuss the situation but the talks with the ambassador have failed to bear fruit.”

However, Shin flatly denied the recent rumors that Lotte would withdraw from China. He said, “I hope the problem will be solved within a couple of months and I have no plans to pull back on investment in China.”

Shin also showed his expectations for the next government. He said, “The next president will need to take the helm strongly and negotiate with other countries including China.” In addition, Shin’s been accused of embezzlement and malpractice and is facing scrutiny in the corruption scandal called “Choi Soon-sil Gate.” In this regard, he asserted that he is innocent, saying “I haven't done anything wrong so I am not worried about getting arrested.”