Source: Yonhap News
Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong's arrest warrant has been rejected by the court.
Lee was arrested and released in February 2018 on another case and put on probation. It appears he's in danger of being imprisoned again after two years and four months.
On the 4th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's office requested arrest warrants for Vice Chairman Lee (52) and three others for manipulating stock prices of two companies before and after a merger by reporting a positive outlook, which was false, after the board approved the merger in May 2015.
But senior Judge Won Won-sook rejected the arrest warrant on the 8th after questioning the suspects stating, "There is a lack of explanations on the necessity and adequacy of arresting the suspects. The basic facts have been explained and the prosecution seems to have already secured a considerable amount of evidence through its investigations. I think it makes sense to make decisions through workshops and hearings."
The arrests warrants for former vice chairman of Samsung's Future Strategy Office Choi Ji-sung (69) and former chief of the U.S strategy team Kim Jong-joong (64) were also rejected by the court.
Vice Chairman Lee who was waiting at the Seoul Detention Center after completing the warrant arrest review immediately returned home afterwards.
In the meantime, prosecution plans to investigate how involved Vice Chairman Lee was in the market manipulation and accounting fraud of parent company Cheil Industries. However, the remaining investigation is expected to be difficult as Lee has applied for a meeting of the prosecution's investigation review committee, asking outside experts to decide whether or not to indict him.
You can read more details on this case here.
- [+7,130, -824] It was an unreasonable investigation in the first place. How can you investigate someone for all of three years? This is a gross violation of human rights. Moon Jae-In needs to be arrested for violating human rights!!!
- [+5,827 -292] Don't bother with it anymore. Seriously. It's not like our country will be better off if Samsung collapses anyway. This is a country so uncivilized that we'd allow a company to destroy its own subcontractors and undercut its own brand for market share. I'm sure I'm not the only one that's convinced they're robbing our country blind?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
- [+3,561, -311] If it was Moon Jae-in that got swindled I'm sure he would've made sure he was jailed for thousands of years.
- [+1,959, -93] Something clearly happened. So is it that you can't find evidence or what? You've been looking for three years already and you're going to try to arrest him again? Aren't you tired of pissing us off? If he's guilty, arrest him. Don't drag us down anymore we're tired. If you can't get any evidence then just let it go.
- [+286, -8] You're wasting your time. The prosecution is rigged already anyway.
- [+241, -7] Stop bullying Samsung and thoroughly investigate Yoon Mi-hyang instead.
- [+170, -8] Our country needs Samsung. Just let it go. ~~