Samsung's Lee sentenced in prison in corruption retrial

Shafaq News/ Billionaire Samsung Electronics vice president Lee Jae-yong was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for bribery and embezzlement on Monday at the Seoul High Court.

His conviction is connected to the corruption scandal that brought down former President Park Guen-hye.

Lee "actively provided bribes and implicitly asked the president to use her power to help his smooth succession" at Samsung, the Seoul court said in its verdict.

Monday's verdict was the culmination of a retrial in a long-running legal battle for Lee. His initial conviction of 5 years in 2017 was later reduced and suspended at appeal after he denied wrongdoing, and he was released after serving a year.

South Korea's Supreme Court then sent the case back to Seoul High Court, which issued Monday's ruling.

The city's highest court found Lee guilty of bribery, embezzlement and concealment of criminal proceeds worth about 8.6 billion won ($7.8 million, €6.5 million), and said the independent compliance committee Samsung set up in 2020 must still become fully effective.

The reimposed custodial sentence could hamper the succession process at Samsung, after Lee's father Lee Kun-hee died in October. It may also deny the consumer electronics giant its most influential manager during the transition period.

Source: DW