CJ officials to face punishment over alleged kickbacks to doctors

Police said Tuesday that they plan to punish about 10 senior officials of food and medicine manufacturer CJ CheilJedang for allegedly giving illegal kickbacks worth of 4.5 billion won ($4.2 million) to more than 200 doctors.

Some officials from CJ CheilJedang are suspected of offering kickbacks to about 210 doctors for about two years since May 2010 in exchange for prescribing its products, according to police.

The government last year declared a war against the long-running illegal practice in the pharmaceutical industry that drives up medical costs for patients. The prosecution has since intensified its probe into the practice in line with the government policy.

Earlier this month, the prosecution indicted seven former and incumbent executives of the country's largest drug manufacturer, Donga Pharmaceutical Co., on charges of offering massive rebates worth 4.8 billion won to doctors and hospital officials. (Yonhap News)