Lawyers, prosecutors face off at Samsung heir’s appeal case
SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — Prosecutors cited a past ruling on a North Korean spy case as one reason why Samsung’s billionaire heir deserved a lengthy prison term after being convicted of offering bribes to the country’s then-president and one of her associates.
The prosecutors and Lee Jae-yong’s lawyers sparred Thursday during a first hearing by the appeals court on the effort by Lee, Samsung’s vice chairman and de facto leader, to have his five-year prison sentence overturned.
Lee was convicted in August of offering $7.9 million in bribes to Park Geun-hye and one of her associates when Park was South Korea’s president in order to get state support as he strengthened his control over Samsung empire after his father fell ill. Prosecutors had asked judges to sentence him to 12 years in prison accusing him of offering $38 million in bribes but judges at the lower court said Samsung’s donations to two foundations controlled by Park’s friend did not constitute bribery. Both sides have appealed.
Lee, 49, the only son of South Korea’s richest individual, sat silently in the courtroom except when he told judges his birthdate and home address. Lee appeared relaxed, yawning during the morning hearing as the two sides argued over whether or not notebooks written by a former aide to the ousted president should have been admitted as evidence.