http://www.france24.com/en/20170115-south-korea-prosecutors-decide-monday-samsung-heir-arrest

15 January 2017 - 08H59
South Korea prosecutors to decide Monday on Samsung heir arrest

SEOUL (AFP) -
South Korean prosecutors investigating a major influence-peddling scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-Hye said they would decide on Monday whether to arrest the heir to the giant Samsung group over alleged bribery. Lee Jae-Yong, Samsung Electronics vice chairman and the son of the group's current chairman Lee Kun-Hee, is accused of approving a decision to pay Park's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil large sums of money to secure favourable decisions. The junior Lee was quizzed through Thursday and Friday as a criminal suspect, and three other senior Samsung executives were also questioned.

"We will reach a decision on Monday... on whether or not to arrest Lee by taking into account the complexity and the significance of the issue," Lee Kyu-Chul, spokesman for a special team of prosecutors probing the scandal, said Sunday.

The scandal centres on Choi, who is accused of using her close friendship to the president to coerce top Seoul firms into "donating" nearly $70 million dollars to two non-profit foundations which Choi then allegedly used for personal gain. Samsung -- the biggest contributor to the foundations -- is also accused of separately providing millions of euros to Choi to bankroll her daughter's equestrian training in Germany.
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Prosecutors are probing whether Samsung's donations were aimed at securing approval for a controversial deal it sought in 2015. The merger of two Samsung units -- Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T -- was seen as a key step towards ensuring a smooth third-generation power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong. The deal was opposed by many investors who said it wilfully undervalued Samsung C&T's shares. But the National Pension Service -- a major Samsung shareholder -- approved the deal, which eventually went through.
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http://www.dw.com/en/prosecutors-seek-warrant-to-arrest-samsung-chief/a-37142435

Prosecutors seek warrant to arrest Samsung chief

After being summoned by prosecutors on suspicion of bribery last week, Samsung heir Lee Jae Yong is likely to face formal arrest. Samsung has denied making donations to a confidente of President Park Guen Hye.

The 48-year-old Samsung Electronics vice chairman faces allegations of embezzlement, offering bribes and of lying under oath during a parliamentary hearing into the scandal, a spokesman for the special prosecutors said on Monday. Samsung is suspected of giving 43 billion won ($36 million, 34 million euros) to Choi Soon-sil, a long-time friend of impeached South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, in return for government support for a controversial merger, prosecutors said.
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A Seoul court said it will review the prosecutors' arrest request on Wednesday.

Part of the money given to Choi allegedly was embezzled by Lee, prosecutors said.
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Prosecutors have been looking into whether Samsung's backing for a business and foundations backed by Park's friend Choi may have been connected to the National Pension Service's 2015 decision to support a controversial $8 billion (7.5 billion euro) merger of two Samsung Group affiliates. The deal was opposed by many investors who said it willfully undervalued the shares in one of the units.
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Meanwhile, some analysts think Lee's arrest could have an impact on the South Korean economy, as Samsung is the largest business group by revenue - raking in the equivalent of a fifth of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).