Kang donates profits from restaurant business

Former TV celebrity Kang Ho-dong announced Tuesday that he would donate all profits from his shares of 678 Corporation.

Once a leading show host, Kang is the largest shareholder of the company, which operates seven restaurant brands specializing in pork, chicken and beef dishes, including 678 Chicken and Baekjeong. Kang became the company’s largest shareholder in 2005 and currently holds a 33.3 percent stake worth more than 15 billion won ($13 million).

678 Corporation has not disclosed the details about the beneficiaries of Kang’s donation and how the money would be distributed.

The former ssireum champion suspended all entertainment activities in 2011 after being accused of tax evasion and real estate speculation. As his purchase of a 5,300 square-meter tract of land in PyeongChang sparked controversy, Kang donated the land, estimated at worth about 2 billion won, to Asan Medical Center.

Kang also plans to build a “Kang Ho-dong Village” complete with educational facilities, medical services and an academic center for teachers in South Sudan.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)