Public prosecutors on Thursday searched a Seoul office of Shinsegae Group as part of their investigation into the retail conglomerate on suspicions of illegal internal trading among its affiliates.

A team of investigators from Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office descended on the group’s Strategic Planning Office in Chungmuro, central Seoul, on Thursday morning, and confiscated accounting data and computer files.

Executives, including group scion and vice chairman Chung Yong-jin, are accused of providing unfair business favors totaling 6.2 billion won ($5.7 million) to the group’s fledgling bakery unit Shinsegae SVN through its three retail units.

Investigators suspect that Shinsegae Corp., E-mart Co. and E-mart Everyday, which respectively run department stores, large discount stores and supermarket chains throughout the country, intentionally set sales commission rates low for the bakery unit.

The Shinsegae SVN was until recently 40 percent-owned by Chung Yoo-kyung, the group vice chairman’s sister.

Earlier this month, the Fair Trade Commission slapped fines of 4.6 billion won on the group in the same case.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@herald.corp.com)