SEOUL \u2014 A South Korean court was deciding Wednesday whether to issue a warrant for the arrest of Samsung\u2019s de facto chairman for his alleged role in an explosive corruption scandal that has riveted South Korea.
Lee Jae-yong, the heir apparent of South Korea\u2019s largest conglomerate, attended a four-hour-long court hearing at Seoul Central District Court Wednesday morning, where Samsung lawyers argued against arresting him on charges of bribery, embezzlement and perjury.
The 48-year-old, who remained silent as he arrived at the court, went to a detention center south of Seoul to await the decision. The court\u2019s deliberations went past midnight into early Thursday local time.
\u201cWe fully explained [our position] to the court,\u201d Song Woo-chul, an attorney for Lee, told reporters after the hearing. \u201cWe are sure that the court will make a wise decision.\u201d
If he is arrested, it will mean that both the head of South Korea\u2019s biggest business and the country\u2019s president have fallen \u2014 at least temporarily \u2014 in the widening scandal that revolves around allegations of bribery and influence at the highest levels.
The National Assembly voted to impeach Park Geun-hye last month over her alleged role in the case, leading her to be suspended from office while the Constitutional Court decides whether to approve her impeachment. That decision could come as soon as next month.
[ Samsung heir questioned in South Korea\u2019s sensational bribery scandal ]
Now, as Samsung\u2019s flagship electronics unit struggles to emerge from its embarrassing recall of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone last year, its leader has become embroiled in the scandal.
Although Lee is technically vice chairman of the group, he has in effect been running the company for almost three years while his ailing father lies unconscious in the hospital.
Many of the case\u2019s allegations revolve around the Lee family\u2019s suspected efforts to keep control of the corporate behemoth. Special prosecutors appointed to investigate the case accuse Lee of authorizing at least $36 million in payments to Choi Soon-sil, a confidante of the president who held no official position.
Choi allegedly put pressure on authorities to approve the $8 billion merger of two Samsung units, part of a plan to strengthen the family\u2019s hold on the group, which it controls through a complex web of cross-shareholdings, despite owning only a tiny stake of it.
The National Pension Service, a major Samsung shareholder, is suspected of supporting the merger on Choi\u2019s instruction. The head of the service, a former health minister, was indicted Monday in relation to the scandal.
[ South Korean court to begin considering President Park Geun-hye\u2019s impeachment ]
Choi, currently on trial for bribery, coercion and abuse of power, has denied trading on her relationship with the president. \u201cI have never received any special benefits or treatment from the government,\u201d she said during a court hearing Tuesday, according to local reports. \u201cThe president is also not such a person.\u201d
At a parliamentary hearing last month, Lee denied being involved in any bribery scheme but admitted that Samsung had given a $900,000 horse to Choi\u2019s daughter, an Olympic equestrian hopeful.
Bribery and corruption have long been a hallmark of business dealings in South Korea, but if he is arrested, Lee will become the first leader of a big business group to be detained over the scandal.
The special prosecutor has indicated that SK, Lotte and CJ, all second-tier conglomerates, were next in its sights.
Conglomerates are accused of giving a total of $70 million to two foundations run by Choi, ostensibly sports and cultural charities. Prosecutors allege that they were in fact cover for bribes paid to Choi to help secure favorable treatment for their businesses.
Yoonjung Seo contributed to this report.
Read more:
Everything you need to know about South Korea\u2019s extraordinary scandal
Scandal shows that \u2018Korean disease\u2019 of corruption far from cured
South Korean prosecutors seek warrant to arrest Samsung head
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