Korean Air heiress denies assault allegations in 'water rage' probe

Cho Hyun-min, a former senior executive of South Korea's largest airline and a daughter of its chief, has denied allegations that she physically assaulted an advertising agency official during a business meeting in March, police said Wednesday.
The photo, filed May 2, 2018, captures Cho Hyun-min, an heiress to Korean Air Lines Co., inside a car on her way back from the Seoul Gangseo Police Station after undergoing a police questioning over assault allegations. (Yonhap)
The photo, filed May 2, 2018, captures Cho Hyun-min, an heiress to Korean Air Lines Co., inside a car on her way back from the Seoul Gangseo Police Station after undergoing a police questioning over assault allegations. (Yonhap)

The 35-year-old is under police investigation over suspicion that she threw a glass of water at the official because she was upset about the agency's work. She appeared for police questioning on Tuesday and apologized to the public in front of a storm of camera flashes.

She left the police station after a 15-hour interrogation.

In a media briefing about Cho's questioning, an official from the Seoul Gangseo Police Station said Wednesday she had flatly denied the allegations.

"She said she only pushed with her hand the paper cup that contained a drink, not at a person but toward the door," the official said.

She also refused to admit her actions led to the obstruction of the ad firm's business, since she was in charge of Korean Air's advertising department and it was "part of her job" to stop any business meeting if necessary, police added.

Police did not rule out the possibility of seeking an arrest warrant for Cho, since she strongly denies the allegations.

Police say she is especially insisting it was a paper cup, not a glass cup as claimed by some witnesses at the scene, because in the case of the latter, she could be charged with aggravated assault, which is punishable with a much heavier penalty. By the Yonhap.

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