[Yonhap Photo]
The actual head of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, was questioned in a court hearing Wednesday to review his arrest warrant on charges of bribery, embezzlement and perjury over his money-for-favor exchange with President Park Geun-hye.
The hearing began after Jay Y. Lee, wearing a dark blue overcoat and a blue and purple patterned tie, was escorted by a team of investigators aboard a black van to a Seoul court.
A crowd of journalists crashed upon him, but the Samsung vice chairman had his mouth firmly closed with a grim look. Hundreds of camera flashes exploded as he walked quietly into the court with his eyes pointing to the ground, shrugging away a wave of questions.
Special prosecutors said the result of the court's hearing would be released on late Wednesday or early Thursday. Lee became the first business leader to face possible imprisonment in an investigation into a corruption scandal engulfing Park and her aides.
He is accused of providing and pledging a total of 43 billion won ($36.3 million) in bribes to Park's crony Choi Soon-sil, who is on trial for meddling in state affairs and pocketing money from family-run conglomerates. Lee denied his direct involvement but investigators accused him of directing Samsung officials to provide money to meet 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 faces charges of making a false testimony at a parliamentary hearing on December 6 that he was not personally involved in Samsung's cash donations.
Samsung allegedly struck a 22 billion won 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. National Pension Service head Moon Hyung-pyo has been arrested for approving the merger in July 2015 when he served as a cabinet member.
Investigators say 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.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
