- Title: Samsung chief Lee arrives at a prosecutor's office
- Date: 18th January 2017
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (JANUARY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VICE CHAIRMAN OF SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS, JAY Y. LEE, GETTING OUT OF CAR AND WALKING FORWARD LEE SURROUNDED BY MEDIA WALKING INTO ELEVATOR SIGNBOARD READING (Korean): "INDEPENDENT COUNSEL'S OFFICE FOR INVESTIGATION ON THE INFLUENCE-PEDDLING SCANDAL CENTRED AROUND PRESIDENT PARK GEUN-HYE AND CIVILIANS INCLUDING CHOI SOON-SIL" LEE SURROUNDED BY MEDIA, WALKING TOWARD CAR AND GETTING INTO IT LEE SITTING INSIDE CAR / DOOR CLOSING CAR CARRYING LEE LEAVING
- Embargoed: 1st February 2017 01:16
- Keywords: south korea samsung jay y. lee prosecutors' office court hearing arrest warrant
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZLX7B9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Samsung Group leader Jay Y. Lee arrived at a prosecutor's office in Seoul on Wednesday (January 18) en route to a court hearing, where a judge will decide whether he should be arrested over his alleged role in a corruption scandal that has rocked South Korea.
The 48-year-old Lee, wearing a dark overcoat and purple necktie, did not answer questions from reporters as he entered the special prosecutor's office, from where he was due to be driven to the Seoul Central District Court.
A special prosecutor on Monday (January 16) said it would seek a warrant to arrest the third-generation leader of the country's largest conglomerate on suspicion of bribery, embezzlement and perjury.
Lee, questioned last week for 22 straight hours at the prosecutor's office in Seoul, has denied wrongdoing.
The influence-peddling scandal led parliament last month to impeach President Park Geun-hye, a decision that if upheld by the Constitutional Court will see her become the country's first democratically-elected leader forced from office early.
Park, 64, has denied wrongdoing.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) and it is possible that the judge's decision may not be announced until after midnight, a court official told Reuters on Tuesday.
The special prosecutor has accused Lee of paying bribes totalling 43 billion won ($36.70 million) to organisations linked to Choi Soon-sil, a friend of the president who is at the centre of the scandal, to secure the 2015 merger of two affiliates and cement his control of the family business. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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