'Illegal Merger and Accounting Fraud' Lee Jae-yong Trial Postponed Due to COVID-19 Spread (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy reporters Seongpil Jo and Daehyun Kim] The trial scheduled for this week for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who has been indicted on charges of illegal group mergers and accounting fraud, has been postponed.

According to the legal community on the 12th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25-2 (Presiding Judge Park Jeong-je) postponed the continuation of the trial for Vice Chairman Lee, which was scheduled for the 15th, on the afternoon of the same day. It has not yet been decided whether the trial date set for the 22nd will be postponed.

The change in the trial date is reported to have been requested by Vice Chairman Lee's side. Earlier, his side reportedly applied for a change in the trial date citing the court administration's recommendation to postpone or change trials due to the spread of COVID-19.

On the 9th, the Supreme Court's Court Administration Office recommended postponing or changing trial schedules at courts in the metropolitan area in response to the fourth wave of COVID-19. Accordingly, the Seoul Central District Court is also said to have ordered each trial division to review changes to trial dates by the court chief's authority on the day of the recommendation.

The prosecution is reported to have decided early on to follow the court's decision regarding Vice Chairman Lee's request for a trial date change. Although continuation was unavoidable for the continuity of the trial, such as witness examination, the internal and external atmosphere, including the spread of COVID-19, is interpreted to have influenced this decision.