Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong is not out of the woods just yet. Even though the Seoul Central District Court refused the special prosecutor's request for an arrest warrant just last month, the Samsung leader was summoned to the prosecutor's office yesterday and questioned for more than 15 hours. A spokesman for the office confirmed that a decision will soon be made about whether or not an arrest warrant would be sought again. The investigation team has now reached its decision. It has confirmed that an arrest warrant is once again being sought for the Samsung heir apparent Lee Jae-yong.
The arrest of Samsung's de facto leader is being sought on charges of bribery in relation to South Korea President Park Geun-hye after the first attempt was shot down by the court last month. The court did not see the necessity of the arrest given that the Samsung leader is already barred from leaving the country until the investigation is concluded. Lee Jae-yong has been accused of giving or promising more than $35 million in bribes to Choi Soon-sil, a friend of the president, in return for the government's backing of a merger between two Samsung affiliates in 2015.
It will be up on the court once again to decide whether not the arrest warrant will be issued. If he's arrested, Samsung could be looking at a serious leadership vacuum.
