South Korean tycoon admits belting karaoke workers

SEOUL, June 18 (Reuters) One of South Korea's richest businessmen told a court today he beat karaoke bar workers in the head in retaliation for a suspected attack on his son and his bodyguards continued the assault when he got tired of punching.

Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn also said at the start of his trial on charges of assault and kidnapping that he admonished his son for not doing a good enough job of roughing up one of the bar workers.

''I was the one who mainly hit them. I was in charge,'' Kim said during questioning.

Prosecutors have said Kim and several bodyguards stormed into an upscale Seoul karaoke bar seeking those who had supposedly beat up his son in an early March incident.

He then seized several workers, shuttled them off to a remote mountain area and forced them to their knees while he beat them, they said.

''I ordered my bodyguards to take over because I got tired of beating them myself,'' Kim said.

Kim denied charges by prosecutors that the assault was premeditated and deadly weapons were used.

He did say, however, he hit one worker with a steel pipe.

''I hit him in the head once but it didn't really harm him.

It was just meant to scare him,'' Kim said.

Kim's case has fascinated a public used to bribery scandals, nepotism and illicit financial dealings among its business leaders.

Hanwha is a major South Korean business group, with interests ranging from financial services to construction and gunpowder manufacture.

REUTERS RN DS1120