Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong Returns Home Early Morning After 17-Hour Prosecutor Investigation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics (52), was summoned by the prosecution and underwent a 17-hour investigation before returning home in the early hours of the 27th.

The Economic Crime Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Bok-hyun) summoned Vice Chairman Lee in a closed session from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the 26th. Although the investigation ended at 9 p.m., the review of the interrogation records was not completed until 1:30 a.m. the next day, resulting in Lee returning home in the early morning.

The prosecution suspects that the entire process from the 2015 merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries to the subsequent accounting changes at Samsung BioLogics was carried out to ensure a stable succession of management rights for Vice Chairman Lee.

Accordingly, the prosecution questioned Lee about what instructions and reports he exchanged with the then group control tower, the Future Strategy Office.

Lee is reported to have stated that he "had no knowledge of or gave no instructions regarding the allegations."

Samsung has consistently maintained that Samsung BioLogics did not inflate the value of its bio business through accounting fraud and that the Samsung C&T merger was conducted through legitimate procedures.

In accordance with regulations prohibiting the disclosure of criminal cases, the prosecution did not announce the date and time of Lee’s summons in advance and allowed him to enter the building through a private route to prevent media exposure.

The Human Rights Protection Investigation Rules, enacted in December last year, stipulate that investigations, including the review of interrogation records, should generally be completed by midnight. However, Vice Chairman Lee used an exception clause to request a written late-night investigation, which was approved by the human rights officer, allowing the investigation to continue past midnight.

The prosecution plans to review the results of the investigation and, if necessary, summon Vice Chairman Lee again for further questioning. A prosecution official stated, "No decisions have been made yet regarding additional summons or schedules."