Shinhan Financial Group suspends CEO

Seoul -- South Korea's Shinhan Financial Group Co. has put its chief executive officer on suspension on charges he was involved in granting unethical loans.

The financial group's board of directors suspended Shin Sang-hoon on a 10-1 vote with another director abstaining, South Korea's Yonhap News reported Tuesday.

The bank has charged that Shin approved $82 million in loans in 2003 through 2009 to a company in which a relative had an interest, but there is an undercurrent of board strife behind the suspension, as well.

The firm's chairman, Ra Eung-chan is under investigation by regulators in an inquiry that he suspects was triggered by Shin.

Some suspect Ra is behind the CEO's suspension, the news agency said.

Copyright 2010 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).

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