Prosecutors Likely to Conclude Judicial Processing of Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Others This Week... Final Discussion Held Yesterday in Department Head Meeting

The Central District Prosecutors' Office Held a Chief Meeting Yesterday to Discuss Final Judicial Processing Direction
Investigation Review Committee Recommended 'Suspension of Investigation and Non-Prosecution' by 10 to 3, Causing Pressure
Prosecution Was Expected to Prevail, but Judicial Processing Delayed, Observing Internal Shift

Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung Electronics is entering the courtroom to attend the warrant hearing held on the 8th of last month at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The prosecution, which has been investigating allegations surrounding the merger between Samsung C&T Corporation and Cheil Industries, is expected to make a final decision this week on whether to take legal action against Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and others.

According to the legal community on the 20th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating the case, held a secret meeting of chief prosecutors chaired by Lee Sung-yoon, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, on the previous holiday to discuss whether to indict Vice Chairman Lee and others.

The meeting was reportedly attended by Lee Bok-hyun, head of the Economic Crime Investigation Division responsible for the investigation, Shin Sung-sik, the third deputy prosecutor overseeing Lee Bok-hyun, as well as multiple chief prosecutors under the third deputy prosecutor.

At the meeting, the attending chiefs reviewed the evidence secured by the investigation team to prove allegations such as violations of the Capital Markets Act by Vice Chairman Lee and accounting fraud at Samsung BioLogics, sharing opinions on the appropriateness of prosecution.

Within and outside the prosecution, there is a prevailing view that, given the possibility of a personnel reshuffle among prosecutors as early as next week, Prosecutor Lee is likely to finalize the policy based on the results of the chief prosecutors' meeting held the previous day and obtain approval during the weekly report to Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl this Wednesday.

Since the investigation team had already requested an arrest warrant for Vice Chairman Lee once last month, it is known that there is no significant disagreement between Prosecutor General Yoon and Prosecutor Lee regarding the handling of this case.

However, since the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee overwhelmingly voted on the 26th of last month to recommend ‘suspension of investigation’ and ‘non-prosecution’ of Vice Chairman Lee, there had been expectations around the prosecution that they would indict Vice Chairman Lee and others despite the committee’s recommendation. Yet, with nearly a month of delay in judicial action, there are now speculations that internal sentiments may be shifting.

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