[Aju News DB]
Special prosecutors sought a court-issued warrant Monday to arrest the de facto head of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, on charges of bribery, embezzlement and perjury over his money-for-favor exchange with President Park Geun-hye.
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee became the first business leader to face imprisonment in an investigation into a corruption scandal that has roiled South Korea for nearly two months. His arrest will become official if prosecutors obtain approval from a court on Wednesday.
"More important in making our decision was the establishment of justice," team spokesman Lee Kyu-chul told reporters, adding the Samsung vice chairman is accused of providing and pledging a total of 43 billion won ($36.3 million) in bribes.
Lee has been questioned as a suspect in connection with the group's cash donation to Park's crony, Choi Soon-sil, who is on trial for meddling in state affairs and siphoning off money from the family-run conglomerates. Prosecutors said Lee had directed Samsung officials to provide bribe at Park's request.
A parliamentary committee has questioned top conglomerate chiefs at a hearing that came on the heels of huge candle-lit protests calling for Park's resignation and arrest. Park was suspended after being impeached in parliament on December 9.
The 48-year-old only son of bedridden Samsung Group patriarch Lee Kun-hee insisted at a parliamentary hearing on December 6 that he was not personally involved in Samsung's cash donations. He faces charges of making a false testimony in parliament that provides for a jail term of fewer than 20 years.
Samsung allegedly struck a 22 billion won (18.7 million US dollars) contract with a Germany-based company owned by Choi to support the equestrian training of her 21-year-old daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, who has been held in Denmark on charges of illegal stay. Investigators said the contract 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. Moon Hyung-pyo, chief of the National Pension Service, was arrested last month for approving the merger in July 2015 when he served as a cabinet member.
Investigators said Jay Y. Lee is accused of providing bribes in an attempt to facilitate the succession of Samsung's leadership.
Samsung has called for leniency, citing the gravity of Lee's arrest. South Korean business leaders have seen their prison sentences shortened or suspended in consideration of the economic impact of their imprisonment.
"More important in making our decision was the establishment of justice," team spokesman Lee Kyu-chul told reporters.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com