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Former State Department Senior Advisor Christian Whiton discusses why the South Korean technology giant doesn’t want to be listed in the U.S.
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Asking this question all week why can't investors invest directly at the Samsung.
While our next guest has the -- is joining us now Christian -- and he's a former state department's senior advisor a person thanks for joining us and up.
Americans applying a Samsung products like crazy we like their own a piece of the company to do with the bill.
Right we'll Charles mechanical -- -- in the technical reason is that Samsung just isn't listed on any US exchange not on the New York Stock Exchange not on NASDAQ.
Now the real reason behind that -- -- a couple of reasons and there are some culpability on both sides of the Pacific but basically with Samsung you have a culture of frankly impunity we're you don't want a lot of scrutiny in listing in the United States would agreeing.
A degree of scrutiny that frankly this this well positioned company this company that comprises 15 of South Korea's GDP.
Just doesn't want right now.
Well this we got to dig into that would -- -- scrutiny well written book that's -- they don't they want.
Right we'll Samsung is one of just a handful of cables in.
South Korea conglomerates fail we run conglomerates and -- spent.
Thought to have very strong political ties and political dealings that frankly are on palatable its current chairman.
Mr.
leave for example was found guilty of tax evasion and embezzlement and I was -- just to be the tip of the iceberg this is a couple of years ago.
This is a company that -- to have a slush fund for politicians and judges and journalists.
It took the step of buying -- voting one of South Korea's most prominent.
Newspapers.
Incidentally that chairman was pardoned by South Korea's former president.
Just because this chairman was so important to bring the Winter Olympics the South Korea so that's pretty.
Pretty handy if you can arrange -- so those are the types of dealings that are common.
In South Korean business that it just doesn't want to ever have to put into an SEC filing.
-- it's it's just -- you talked about the former president not a new president who they elected just a couple of weeks ago.
She says is gonna come down harder on these conglomerates that you know of course the irony of course is a father helped put -- together before he was assassinated when he was running -- country but.
She's saying that it's -- -- -- not to be dismantled but the level the playing field even -- in the country could that ultimately make them play fair around the world.
It could if it happens I find it it's one of these things I think you'd have to see to believe.
You know you hear tales of reform across the East Asia and the Pacific in the Philippines currently is the flavor of the month for supposedly.
Taking anti corruption steps that have been elusive for the past decades or centuries depending on.
On how you want to count on the other hand Indonesia going through a very real.
Anti corruption effort over the last decade that sent various provincial governors to jail.
Until you start to see these companies really start to squeal I don't think you can assess this to be a credible move against the chummy nature of South Korean business while.
-- that of president not being honest during the campaign season trying to risen thanks while we appreciate it.
But I think they even don't watch.
