[Timeline] From the National Agricultural Scandal Allegations to Lee Jae-yong's Retrial Sentencing

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is heading to the courtroom as he attends the retrial sentencing hearing for the 'state corruption' case held at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 18th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Seongpil Cho, Gimin Lee] Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics, who was shackled by judicial restraints due to the state affairs manipulation scandal, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison and detained in court on the 18th during the retrial after remand.

Earlier, in August 2019, the Supreme Court's full bench overturned and remanded the case, ruling that the 3.4 billion KRW horse purchase cost for Jung Yura, daughter of Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), and the 1.6 billion KRW sponsorship for the Winter Sports Gifted Center should be considered bribes. On this day, the retrial court ruled in accordance with the full bench's judgment on the remand.

Below is a timeline from the allegations against Vice Chairman Lee in the state affairs manipulation scandal to the retrial sentencing.

◆2016

-October 24 / JTBC reports suspicions of Choi Soon-sil's involvement in state affairs. Tablet PC presumed to be used by Choi revealed

-October 30 / Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil) returns to Korea from Germany

-November 3 / Prosecutors arrest Choi Soon-sil

-November 8 / Prosecutors conduct search and seizure at Samsung Electronics headquarters

-November 13 / Prosecutors summon Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics, as a witness for investigation

-November 20 / Prosecutors indict Choi Soon-sil, Ahn Jong-beom, and Jung Ho-sung

-November 30 / Then-President Park Geun-hye appoints Park Young-soo as special prosecutor

-December 9 / National Assembly passes impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye. Impeachment resolution submitted to Constitutional Court

-December 21 / Special Prosecutor Park Young-soo officially begins investigation

◆2017

-January 19 / Arrest warrant for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong dismissed

-February 17 / Arrest warrant for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong issued

-February 28 / Special Prosecutor indicts 17 people including Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and concludes investigation... Announces that President Park is under investigation for bribery charges

-March 10 / Constitutional Court decides to dismiss President Park Geun-hye

-March 21 / Former President Park Geun-hye appears at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office as a suspect for investigation

-March 31 / Prosecutors arrest former President Park Geun-hye

-April 17 / Prosecutors indict former President Park Geun-hye for state affairs manipulation

-May 23 / Formal trial begins for former President Park Geun-hye in state affairs manipulation case

-May 31 / Jung Yura, daughter of Choi Soon-sil, forcibly repatriated from Denmark to Korea

-August 25 / Seoul Central District Court sentences Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to 5 years in prison

-October 13 / Court decides to extend detention of former President Park Geun-hye

-October 16 / Entire defense team of former President Park Geun-hye resigns. Former President Park states, "I have come to the conclusion that trust in the court no longer holds meaning"

-November 14 / Choi Soon-sil sentenced to 3 years in prison in second trial for academic fraud

-November 28 / Court decides to proceed with former President Park Geun-hye's state affairs manipulation case trial in absentia

◆2018

-January 4 / Prosecutors additionally indict former President Park Geun-hye on charges of bribery involving National Intelligence Service special activity funds. Investigate private uses such as costume room operating expenses, encouragement money for aides, and acupuncture treatment

-February 1 / Prosecutors additionally indict former President Park Geun-hye for 'Saenuri Party nomination interference'

-February 5 / Seoul High Court sentences Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to 2 years and 6 months in prison with 4 years probation. Vice Chairman Lee released

-February 13 / Seoul Central District Court sentences Choi Soon-sil to 20 years in prison, 18 billion KRW fine, and 7.29 billion KRW confiscation.

/ Former Blue House economic chief Ahn Jong-beom sentenced to 6 years in prison, 10 million KRW fine, and 42.9 million KRW confiscation; Shin Dong-bin, Chairman of Lotte Group, sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison and 7 billion KRW confiscation

/ Supreme Court accepts Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong's appeal

-February 27 / Prosecutors conclude former President Park Geun-hye's state affairs manipulation trial. Request 30 years imprisonment and 118.5 billion KRW fine

-April 6 / Seoul Central District Court sentences former President Park Geun-hye to 24 years in prison and 18 billion KRW fine for state affairs manipulation charges

-August 24 / Seoul Central District Court sentences former President Park Geun-hye to 25 years in prison and 20 billion KRW fine in appeal trial for state affairs manipulation.

/ Seoul Central District Court sentences Choi Soon-sil to 20 years in prison, 20 billion KRW fine, and 7.05 billion KRW confiscation in appeal trial. Former economic chief Ahn Jong-beom sentenced to 5 years in prison, 60 million KRW fine, and 19.9 million KRW confiscation

-September 4 / Supreme Court accepts Choi Soon-sil's appeal

-September 12 / Supreme Court accepts former President Park Geun-hye's appeal

◆2019

-February 11 / Supreme Court refers state affairs manipulation case appeal to full bench

-June 20 / Supreme Court full bench concludes hearing

-August 29 / Supreme Court full bench delivers ruling. Overturns and remands second trial verdicts for former President Park, Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, and Choi Soon-sil

-October 25 / First retrial hearing for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Court orders Vice Chairman Lee to establish an effective compliance system

-October 30 / First retrial hearing for Choi Soon-sil

-December 10 / Seoul High Court merges retrials for former President Park's state affairs manipulation and special activity funds cases

◆2020

-January 14 / First retrial hearing for former President Park Geun-hye

-January 22 / Prosecutors request 25 years imprisonment, 30 billion KRW fine, and 7.05 billion KRW confiscation for Choi Soon-sil in retrial

-February 5 / Samsung Compliance Committee officially launched. Holds first regular meeting

-February 14 / Seoul High Court sentences Choi Soon-sil to 18 years in prison, 20 billion KRW fine, and approximately 6.3 billion KRW confiscation in retrial

-February 17 / Choi Soon-sil files appeal against retrial verdict

-February 24 / Prosecutors file motion to disqualify retrial court for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong

-March 11 / Samsung Compliance Committee recommends Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to state positions on management succession, labor union issues, and communication with civil society

-April 17 / Seoul High Court dismisses special prosecutor's motion to disqualify retrial court for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong

-May 6 / Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong holds public apology press conference

-May 20 / Prosecutors request 25 years imprisonment, 30 billion KRW fine, and 200 million KRW confiscation for former President Park Geun-hye on bribery charges in retrial. Request 10 years imprisonment and 3.3 billion KRW confiscation on other charges including abuse of power and obstruction of rights

-June 11 / Supreme Court finalizes sentence for Choi Soon-sil: 18 years imprisonment, 20 billion KRW fine, and 6.3 billion KRW confiscation

-July 10 / Seoul High Court sentences former President Park Geun-hye to 15 years imprisonment and 18 billion KRW fine on bribery charges in retrial. Sentences 5 years imprisonment on other charges. Orders 3.5 billion KRW confiscation

-July 16 / Prosecutors appeal against retrial verdict for former President Park Geun-hye

-September 18 / Supreme Court finally dismisses special prosecutor's motion to disqualify retrial court for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Hearing resumes

-December 30 / Prosecutors request 9 years imprisonment for Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong in retrial

◆2021

-January 14 / Supreme Court finalizes 20 years imprisonment for former President Park Geun-hye in appeal trial

-January 18 / Seoul High Court sentences Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to 2 years and 6 months in prison in retrial

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.