Lee Jae-yong Suspected of Illegal Propofol Injection
Much attention is being paid to whether the prosecution will bring Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong’s case of illegal propofol injection to the court. Earlier, the prosecution investigation committee (PIC) of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office advised to stop the investigation. However, 14 members of the PIC are equally divided on whether to prosecute him.
The PIC gave the advice on March 26. A total of 15 members of the committee attended the meeting with the exception of former Supreme Court judge and head of the committee Yang Chang-soo, one was excluded, and eight voted for a suspension of investigation before the advice was given. At present, the 14 committee members are equally split on prosecution. The advice from the PIC is not binding and the prosecution does not have to follow it.
The prosecution is planning to make its final decision in view of the outcome of its investigation as well as the advice. Last year, the PIC advised to stop its investigation and not to prosecute the vice chairman with regard to the Samsung C&T merger case, but the prosecution brought him to trial in September after reexamining the case for two months after the advice.
Samsung Group’s owner-related risks are likely to increase if the prosecution decides to prosecute him again. The vice chairman is currently serving his 30-month sentence with regard to the 2016 South Korean political scandal. The first trial related to the merger case is scheduled for April 22 and he is currently under police investigation for additional propofol allegations.