S.Korean Prosecutors to Question Samsung Heir on Monday Over Bribery Scandal

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — South Korean prosecutors will summon Vice Chairman and heir to Samsung Electronics Co Lee Jae-yong for a new round of questioning over alleged bribery involving President Park Geun-hye on Monday, the investigation team said Sunday.

"Since the court’s rejection for an arrest warrant three weeks ago, we have continued investigating the bribery allegation and have some questions to ask… Whether or not we will retry the arrest of Lee will be determined after [Monday’s] questioning session," investigation team spokesman Lee Kyu-chul said, as quoted by the Korea Herald newspaper.

On January 11, Lee was summoned by the special prosecution team looking into the corruption scandal with the country’s president and her friend Choi Soon-sil. Lee was questioned over allegations of bribery, and on January 16, prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for him on suspicion of paying multimillion bribes to Choi in return for state support of a controversial merger. The request was blocked by a court in Seoul on January 19 because of the lack of evidence.

Choi is on trial for alleged influence-peddling and meddling in state affairs. The corruption scandal led the Korean parliament to impeach Park and brought thousands of protesters to the streets in the past months.