[Photo by Yoo Dae-kil = dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]
The de facto head of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, apologized with a nervous look Thursday as he appeared for questioning by special investigators over alleged bribery and perjury.
More than 100 journalists battled for a good position instantly after Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee got off a sedan outside the office of a special investigation team in southern Seoul.
Some angry activists held up placards or shouted slogans calling for the arrest of Lee, who has been summoned as a suspect over the group's cash donation to President Park Geun-hye's arrested crony, Choi Soon-sil. Samsung is suspected of providing undue financial support for the equestrian training of Choi's daughter in return for favors.
Investigators have urged a parliamentary committee to accuse him of perjury. The committee has questioned dozens of people including top conglomerate chiefs at a hearing looking into a corruption scandal engulfing Park, who was suspended after being impeached in parliament on December 9.
The 48-year-old only son of bedridden Samsung Group patriarch Lee Kun-hee admitted at a parliamentary hearing on December 6 that Samsung bankrolled a training program for Choi's daughter. But he insisted he was not personally involved in Samsung's cash donations.
Activists wearing the masks of Samsung Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee and President Park Geun-hye demand their arrests outside the office of special investigators. [Photo by Yoo Dae-kil = dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]
Investigators claimed to have secured evidence about his perjury, contending that as requested by Park, the Samsung vice chairman had directed Samsung officials to provide bribes.
Samsung allegedly struck a 22 billion-won (18.3 million US dollars) contract with a Germany-based company owned by Choi and her 21-year-old daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, who has been arrested in Denmark on charges of illegal stay.
Investigators believe the contract probably came in return for the state-run pension fund's backing of a merger deal between Samsung subsidiaries in 2015. There have been allegations that the state fund was pressured by Park's office to support the merger in return for favors. The head of the National Pension Service was arrested last month.
[Photo by Yoo Dae-kil = dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]
This week, the investigation team secured Choi's new tablet PC that allegedly contained e-mail information related to Samsung's funding. As yet, no business leaders have been charged, but the scandal has fanned public resentment over their relationship with Park.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
