HONG KONG – Swiss multinational Novartis AG's South Korean unit is facing further scrutiny after being charged with illegal rebates in February. South Korean prosecutors indicted a former chief executive of Novartis South Korea, Moon Hak-Sun, along with five other former and current company managers over allegations that they illegally paid doctors KRW2.6 billion (US$2.3 million) in return for prescribing the company's drugs to patients over the span of five years, from 2011 to January this year. The Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office said it has indicted 28 other people, including 15 doctors and six publishers of medical journals, amounting to a total of 34 people. The first of what may wind up being several trials is scheduled to start Sept. 22.