Lee Jae-yong to Be Released from Prison this Week
Lee got caught up in a political prosecution of former President Park Geun-hye, so everyone kind of knew he would eventually get released early and now it has happened:
The justice ministry said Monday it will release jailed Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong on parole later this week, a decision fiercely protested by civic groups and welcomed by Samsung Group and other business leaders.
The vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co. has been serving time since he was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison by the Seoul High Court on Jan. 18 in a retrial of a bribery case involving former President Park Geun-hye. (……)
The ministry considered “the country’s economic situation and the conditions of the global economy amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic” as factors behind the decision, Park said in a briefing.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
@GIKorea
Lee Jae Young’s release has more to do with his efforts to secure the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for Korea and less because of his involvement with former president Park.
Lee saved Moon and the DPK’s asses from severe embarrassment and now they are returning the favor by pardoning him.
It’s the same with the Park administration. He knew that getting to Park meant keeping her friend Choi Jinsil happy and that’s what he probably did. In return he probably got Park to look the other way when he merged Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T, under what are allegedly dubious circumstances.
From the looks of it he knows how to manipulate presidents to get what he wants, which is a credit to his skills.
@TOK, I am aware that Moon likely gave him payback for the vaccines he helped to acquire from abroad. Moon just waited for months to release him to not make it seem too obvious. As far as Lee paying Choi’s daughter’s equestrian team; I doubt Park knew anything about it. Additionally Lee was jailed for what is essentially called lobbying in the U.S.
> called lobbying in the U.S
And that’s the big difference between the two countries. It’s legal to bribe politicians in the US. But that stuff is rightfully declared an illegal bribe in Korea. That’s why the US politics is only for the rich and powerful.
I believe lobbying is also called ‘bribery in a suit’
And Mr. Lee is always seen in a suit.