Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong's lawyers have denied he had any involvement in bribing impeached President Park Geun Hye. He's accused of giving millions of dollars to one of Park's confidantes.
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At a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Lee's lawyers demanded prosecutors rewrite their allegations against the Samsung heir, which claimed that the company's strategy office at the center of the bribery scandal worked only for the benefit of the tech giant's founding family.
The defense, which includes 13 attorneys and several former senior judges, also told Seoul Central District court that prosecutors were unfairly trying to create an impression that Lee is guilty by mentioning a past conviction of his father.
The deputy chairman of Samsung Electronics is accused of paying nearly $40 million (38 million euros) to South Korean President Park Geun Hye's close friend, allegedly as bribes to secure policy favors.
Samsung sought state approval for a controversial merger of two Samsung units in 2015, which some shareholders said grossly undervalued one of the firms involved. But the deal went through anyway.
As well as the bribery case, the world's biggest smartphone maker is struggling to recover from a recall scandal.Image: Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji
Four other Samsung executives have been charged along with Lee. None of them appeared at Thursday's hearing.
Five-year sentence
In court on Thursday, lawyers denied all charges against the billionaire heir, which include bribery and embezzlement among other offenses. The 48-year-old executive could receive a five-year jail sentence if proven guilty.
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.
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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.
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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.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/A.Young-joon
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Samsung has insisted that the payments were charitable contributions it was obliged to make under pressure from officials, and not bribes.
The case links to a wider corruption scandal involving Park's aide Choi Soon-sil, who is accused of using her close ties with the president to force local firms to "donate" nearly $70 million to nonprofit foundations, which Choi allegedly used for personal gain.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court of South Korea is to decide on Park's fate on Friday, ending an impeachment trial which will either see her removed from office permanently or immediately reinstated.
