이 기사는 2022년 01월 05일 08시07분 thebell에 표출된 기사입니다

Hong Won-sik, owner and chairman of Namyang Dairy Products, submitted a written answer to a court through his representing law firm LKB& Partners just before the deadline set by a judge in the first hearing.

The answer was filed with the Seoul Central District Court on December 31, more than four months after private equity firm Hahn & Company filed a lawsuit in August last year against Hong and his family demanding the execution of the share purchase agreement between the two parties.

Hong’s slow response is seen by some legal experts as a tactical move to postpone the trial. During the first hearing, which was held on December 2, an attorney representing Hong and his family said the filing of the answer could be completed by the next hearing date.

But the judge did not accept this and asked the defendants to submit the answer within 30 days after the first hearing date.

According to the information filed with the court by LKB& Partners on December 31, an additional attorney at the law firm joined the case.

Hong has yet to inform the court of whether he has hired an additional law firm, which was cited as one of the reasons for the delay of the defendant answer in the first hearing.

Legal sources said Hong has consulted a law firm that specializes in cases involving mergers and acquisitions and corporate ownership apart from LKB& Partners.

A second hearing is scheduled for January 13. (Reporting by Gyoung-tae Kim)