Appeared in court 3 months after detention
Expressed "thanks for trial delay" through lawyer
Gaunt appearance due to appendicitis surgery
Endured trial quietly without discomfort
like the 4-year-long National Scandal trial
[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] "Thanks to the court's postponement of the trial date, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong has overcome a critical situation and is recovering his health. We will strive to ensure that the upcoming trial proceeds smoothly."
On the 22nd, at the Seoul Central District Court's courtroom 417, during the first hearing of the 'management succession suspicion' case presided over by the Criminal Division 25-2 (Chief Judge Park Jeong-je), Vice Chairman Lee conveyed this message through his attorney. He underwent emergency surgery last month on the 17th due to a ruptured appendix. As he was hospitalized for treatment after the surgery, the trial originally scheduled for the 25th of last month was postponed to this day. Vice Chairman Lee expressed gratitude to the court for postponing the trial by about a month and showed his determination to sincerely participate in the upcoming trial.
On that day, Vice Chairman Lee entered the courtroom about 10 minutes before the trial started, dressed in a suit and white shirt. Possibly due to the treatment period after the removal of his appendix, which affected his ability to eat properly, he appeared noticeably thinner and gaunt. Nevertheless, his demeanor during the trial was so composed that it was hard to see him as a patient still in recovery. Throughout the hearing, which lasted from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., he quietly faced the judge and attended the trial.
Vice Chairman Lee was previously sentenced to prison and detained in January for the state affairs manipulation case. The trial, which began with his indictment in February 2017, spanned nearly four years through the first trial, second trial, Supreme Court plenary session, and remand trial. During this period, he appeared in court more than 80 times. Despite this 'marathon trial,' he never showed any sign of discomfort.
It is said that defendants tend to become exhausted during such long trials. Some defendants struggle physically and doze off, while others visit the restroom to stay awake. For example, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae, indicted for abuse of judicial administrative power, once requested to leave the courtroom during an overnight trial, citing physical exhaustion. However, Vice Chairman Lee has never done so even once.
That day was no different. Even when some co-defendants, also indicted, could not resist sleep and bowed their heads, his gaze was always fixed on the judge. Except for responding to the judge's questions verifying identity and asking whether he admitted the charges, he kept his mouth firmly shut throughout the trial.
When asked by the judge whether he admitted to the charges, Vice Chairman Lee said, "I cannot admit to them." His legal team also presented arguments supporting this stance. Earlier, based on investigations conducted over one year and eight months from December 2018 to September last year, the prosecution outlined the indictment summary stating that "Lee Jae-yong, leading the Mi-jeon Office-related personnel, planned and executed the succession of Samsung Group's control." Accordingly, a fierce legal battle between both sides is anticipated in the upcoming trial.
Vice Chairman Lee's next trial is scheduled for May 6. The court plans to summon Han Mo, a former Samsung Securities corporate finance employee known to have been involved in the merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries, as a witness. Vice Chairman Lee is also required to appear in court that day.
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