Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong arrived at the Seoul Central District Court Building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, at around 1:34 p.m. on the 30th to attend the 7th retrial hearing on charges of bribery related to the state affairs manipulation case. Photo by Ki-min Lee victor.lee@
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong appeared at the retrial on bribery charges related to the state affairs manipulation case on the 30th. This marks the third time this month that Vice Chairman Lee has appeared in court.
The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Jung Jun-young) will hold the 7th trial session on Lee's bribery charges at 2:05 p.m. that day.
Vice Chairman Lee arrived at the Seoul Court Complex in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where the Seoul High Court is located, at around 1:34 p.m. When reporters asked him, "This is your third trial this month. How do you feel?", "What do you think about the activities of the Samsung Compliance Committee?", and "The panel of expert psychologists will submit their opinion next week. What is your view on that?", he remained silent and headed to the courtroom.
Lee's retrial was suspended after the court announced in January that it would consider the activities of the Compliance Committee in sentencing, which led the special prosecution team led by Park Young-soo to file a motion to disqualify the judges.
After the Supreme Court dismissed the motion, the Seoul High Court resumed Lee's trial last month. Except for the funeral period of his father, Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, on the 26th of last month, Lee appeared in court on the 9th and 23rd of this month.
At this trial session, additional documentary evidence examination, which was not completed on the 23rd, is scheduled to proceed. The special prosecution is expected to request that the court consider Lee's sentencing by linking the prosecution's indictment related to Lee's succession of management rights with the bribery charges in the state affairs manipulation case.
The prosecution claims that Lee actively offered bribes to seek help from the Park Geun-hye administration for the succession of management rights. In contrast, Lee's defense argues that former President Park directly requested Lee's help to promote the sports industry, and he had no choice but to comply, thus asserting it was passive bribery.
Originally, expert psychologists were scheduled to provide their opinions on the Compliance Committee on this day. However, the special prosecution and the expert psychologists requested a postponement, stating that there was insufficient time to complete the expert psychological evaluation of the Compliance Committee.
The court accepted this request and plans to receive the expert psychologists' opinion report on the 3rd of next month and hold a trial to hear their testimonies on the 7th.
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