Samsung leader questioned in arrest warrant hearing
February 16, 2017
Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong has appeared in court as judges deliberate for a second time on whether he should be arrested. Lee is accused of offering bribes to President Park Geun-hye and her close friend.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/C. Jae-gu
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A South Korean judge questioned Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and another executive behind closed doors on Thursday in a second hearing on whether to issue an arrest warrant.
Neither man answered questions from reporters. Groups of protesters - some calling for Lee's arrest with others demanding the warrant request to be dismissed - gathered outside the courthouse in Seoul.
Prosecutors are seeking permission for a second time to arrest the 48-year-old Samsung heir and accuse him of giving bribes worth $36 million (33.9 million euros) to President Park Geun-hye and her friend, Choi Soon-sil to win government support for a 2015 merger of two Samsung companies.
The funding also included Samsung's sponsorship of the equestrian career of Choi's daughter, who is currently being detained in Denmark after being sought by South Korean authorities.
The scandal led parliament to impeach Park in December and strip her of presidential powers while the Constitutional Court deliberates on whether to uphold her impeachment.
Prosecutors are also investigating Lee over possible embezzlement, perjury and hiding assets overseas. The court rejected a first attempt to arrest the Samsung heir last month, citing a lack of evidence.
If the court approves the arrest warrant, prosecutors will be able to take him into custody for a maximum of 21 days before they press charges.
Lee, Park, Choi and the Samsung Group all deny any wrongdoing.
Samsung Group repeated an earlier denial of the charges on its official Twitter account, writing: "Samsung has absolutely never bribed the president seeking something in return or sought illicit favors."
Lee's arrest could deal a significant blow to Samsung, the world's biggest maker of smartphones and flat screen televisions, and could potentially hamper decision-making in new investments and acquisitions.
rs/rt (AP, AFP, Reuters)
South Korea's unending political crisis
Despite the impeachment of President Park, the political crisis in S. Korea is far from over. While the protesters continue to demand Park's resignation, the scandal has spilled over into the highest levels of business.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/L. Jin-man
Extortion and manipulation
On Monday, a Danish court extended the detention of Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the centre of a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of Park Geun-hye, South Korea's president. Choi is accused of influencing government policy and getting rich through extortion and manipulation.
Image: Reuters/K. Hong-Ji
South Korea's 'Rasputin'
Choi is in custody on charges of meddling in state affairs without holding a government position and using her connections with the president to extort vast sums of money from many of South Korea's best-known companies. Beyond the legal charges, she is being blamed for both effectively bringing down the government of President Park and leaving her reputation and political legacy in tatters.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/Chung Sung-Jun
Defiance
Last month, Park did not turn up to testify in a court case which will decide her future. The president was impeached over a multifaceted corruption scandal in December.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Yonhap
Fall from grace
After her impeachment, Park Geun-hye is regarded both as a perpetrator and a victim. Her future is uncertain as the country struggles to recover from a political scandal.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Jeon Heon-Kyun
Calls for early elections
Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets since the start of the corruption scandal, calling on President Park to step down. South Korea's Constitutional Court is deciding whether to formally unseat Park or restore her power. If she is forced out, a new election would be held within two months to choose her successor.
Image: Reuters/K. Hong-Ji
Scandal reaches top of the 'chaebols'
South Korea's corruption scandal has spilled over into the highest levels of business. The vice-chairman of Samsung, Lee Jae-yong, was questioned last month by investigators who are seeking evidence that he paid bribes to Choi Soon-sil. Given the economic and political importance of Samsung in South Korea, if Lee is indicted, it could be on the same level of President Park's impeachment.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Yeon-Je
The split
In December, a group of lawmakers from South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party abandoned Park to form a new party, tentatively named the New Conservative Party for Reform (NCPR). The party infighting is another blow to Park.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/EPA/Yonhap/YNA
Ban drops out of presidential race
Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has declared that he won't run for South Korea's presidency. He had been expected to seek the position after a corruption scandal saw President Park impeached. The newly-formed NCPR was hoping that Ban would join their ranks.
