Asia

Samsung's Heir The Most Recent Arrest In South Korean Scandal

Lee Jae-yong was arrested on bribery charges. He's the most recent arrest in South Korea's on going presidential scandal.

Samsung's Heir The Most Recent Arrest In South Korean Scandal
Getty Images
SMS

The heir to Samsung — South Korea's biggest electronics company — was arrested Friday local time on bribery charges.

Lee Jae-yong is accused of paying as much as $38 million to the close friend of South Korea's embattled president, Park Geun-hye, in return for political favors — like getting a company merger approved by the government.

Park has been impeached and her presidential powers have been suspended while a court decides if she should be removed from office. The issue at hand is whether her friend Choi Soon-sil had a major influence over decisions — both political and personal.

South Korea's Parliament Has Voted To Impeach President Park Geun-hye
South Korea's Parliament Has Voted To Impeach President Park Geun-hye

South Korea's Parliament Has Voted To Impeach President Park Geun-hye

Park Geun-hye's powers were suspended immediately after the vote, and South Korea's prime minister will take over as acting president.

LEARN MORE

The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into money given to Choi by multiple companies. 

Last month, a court ruled there wasn't enough evidence to arrest Lee on bribery charges, but prosecutors say they've collected more incriminating evidence since then.