16.01.2017
KBS News
By Gang Byeongsu
Video at link
Today (16.01.2017) special prosecutors asked for a preliminary arrest warrant to be filed for Samsung Electronics vice-president Ee Jaeyong. The prosecutors arrived at this conclusion having worked nearly continuously for three days reviewing points of law. Ee Gyucheol from the prosecutor’s office said: “We have requested arrest warrants for violations of laws related to specific economic crimes, embezzlement, and testimony in the National Assembly.”
It was the investigations into Choi Sunshil’s intervention in national government affairs which first uncovered these suspicions regarding vice-president Ee. His takeover of the entire Samsung group is now on hold – as he is suspected of having bribed government figures through Choi Sunshil in order to smooth Samsung’s proposed takeover of Jaeil Industries. The prosecution team has surmised that President Bak and Ms Choi must have had some financial relationship and that vice-president Ee had bribed Choi.
Also being investigated, without detention, are vice-president of the Samsung Future group Choi Jiseong and other Samsung employees Jang Chunggi and Bak Sangjin. They were summoned by prosecutors before Ee. Ee’s wife has an appointment for the day after tomorrow (the 18th) at Seoul Jungang prosecutor’s office.
Analysis: The Choi Sunshil scandal continues to compromise influential figures. While this may seem extremely serious for Ee and Samsung, it’s almost impossible to overstate both the importance of Samsung to the Korean economy (and national psyche) and the amount of influence it has. Even if Ee is found guilty and jailed, don’t expect him to be gone from the national stage for long; his father Ee Geunhee, the Samsung group chairman, was found guilty of similar offences in 2008. He received a fine of $98 million and three years’ prison time, suspended. And while ordinary Koreans dislike the arrogance and corruption of the chaebeol families they also cherish their international reach and understand their importance to the national economy.