Korea’s Tycoons Questioned as Corruption Scandal Grips Country

South Korean lawmakers began questioning nine of the country’s top tycoons, including the heads of Samsung and Hyundai Motor groups, in connection with President Park Geun-hye’s influence-peddling scandal that’s been roiling the nation for weeks.

In what may be the country’s biggest parliamentary hearing ever, the National Assembly began a special investigation hearing of the leaders of the so-called chaebol conglomerates from about 10 a.m. in Seoul, with Korean TV news channels broadcasting it live. Lawmakers began questioning the billionaires about why their business gave tens of millions of dollars to foundations controlled by Choi Soon-sil, the president’s confidante at the center of the scandal.