[Yonhap News Photo]
Lee Jae-yong, Samsung Group's de facto leader, has claimed that President Park Geun-hye forced his company to provide billions of won to various organizations linked to her confidante at the center of a corruption scandal, an official said Friday.
Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., made the claim to a special probe team investigating the widening scandal involving Park and her friend Choi Soon-sil, the official close to the team said. His latest statement does not match what he said at a parliamentary hearing held last month. At the time, Lee said the president only talked about matters related to the conglomerate and its investment plans during a private meeting in 2015.
Lee was called in for questioning Thursday over allegations his company gave financial support to Choi in return for the government's support for a merger of two Samsung affiliates. He returned home early Friday after being questioned for 22 hours. But the heir apparent denied most of the allegations against his own company, the official said. The investigation team will review his remarks and decide whether to seek a warrant for his arrest.
"Based on precedent, even if the bribe is given under pressure, the donor will be punished," the official said. "Lee's statement will only be a mitigating factor in the sentencing process."
(Yonhap)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
