If President Park was pressuring Lee Jae-yong to have Samsung donate millions of dollars to Choi Soon-sil’s organizations in return for political favors this would justify the impeachment:
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong leaves the special counsel team’s office in southern Seoul on Jan. 13, 2017, after being questioned for 22 hours in connection with a corruption scandal. (Yonhap)
Lee Jae-yong, Samsung Group’s de facto leader, has claimed that President Park Geun-hye forced his company to provide billions of won to various organizations linked to her confidante at the center of a corruption scandal, an official said Friday.
Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., made the claim to a special probe team investigating the widening scandal involving Park and her friend Choi Soon-sil, the official close to the team said. His latest statement does not match what he said at a parliamentary hearing held last month. At the time, Lee said the president only talked about matters related to the conglomerate and its investment plans during a private meeting in 2015. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but Lee’s story differs from what he said last month that he was not pressured to give money to Choi. However, according to this KBS report Lee said that he was pressured by Park to give money, but he did not request any political favors in return:
The decision on whether or not to request an arrest warrant for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong for his links to the Choi Soon-sil scandal may come as early as Saturday.
The independent counsel team’s spokesman Lee Kyu-chul told reporters on Friday that a decision regarding Lee, who faces bribery and perjury charges, will come on Saturday or Sunday.
The team is said to be leaning toward requesting the warrant as it believes Lee was deeply involved in giving Choi and her family hefty sums of money in return for government support for Samsung C&T’s merger with Cheil Industries in 2015.
The team led by Park Young-soo will also take into account conflicting statements he made from his testimony during a hearing last month at the National Assembly.
Lee returned home at around 8 a.m. Friday after undergoing 22 hours of investigation by the independent counsel team.
The Samsung heir is said to have told investigators that though it’s true that Samsung Group extended huge amounts of money to Choi and her family due to pressure from President Park Geun-hye’s, the funds were not given in return for favors. [KBS World Radio]
I guess we will see how this plays out in the coming days.
Apparently he was questioned for nearly 22 hours without sleep. Smells fishy, although it might be standard in Korea.
I’m guessing that he’s still denying that Samsung paid Choi so Park can approve / expedite the merger in return. He’s now saying the president “pressured” the company to bribe Choi – but what does that mean exactly? She threatened to block the merger? Deny market entry or other opportunities for Samsung?
And it sure sounds like the prosecutors don’t want to let the guy off the hook simply he was “coerced” into bribery. I think they’re working on a deal of some sort.
Apparently he was questioned for nearly 22 hours without sleep. Smells fishy, although it might be standard in Korea.
I’m guessing that he’s still denying that Samsung paid Choi so Park can approve / expedite the merger in return. He’s now saying the president “pressured” the company to bribe Choi – but what does that mean exactly? She threatened to block the merger? Deny market entry or other opportunities for Samsung?
And it sure sounds like the prosecutors don’t want to let the guy off the hook simply he was “coerced” into bribery. I think they’re working on a deal of some sort.
Changed story? That means he lied. Either at the beginning or the end. Either way, he needs to be given a job shelling shrimp in Masan.