Samsung heir arrested on bribery charges / 涉嫌行賄朴槿惠密友 三星少東被逮捕　　　　　　　　　　

Now some Explosive news about Samsung that, for once, doesn't involve a self-detonating battery. The most powerful business leader of South Korea, Vice Chairman of the Samsung Group, Lee Jae-yong has been arrested for Bribery among other charges. He was accused of giving 36 million dollars in donations to the foundations run by Choi Soon-sil, the Korean president's longtime friend, in exchange for government favours. Lee has become the first leader of the group to be arrested since its founding 79 years ago. The news has taken its toll on Samsung's stock price and cast a shadow on its future. The Seoul District Court authorized the arrest of Lee Jae-yong, Samsung Group's vice chairman and de facto leader, in the early morning of Feb. 17th. 48-year-old Lee is the first leader of Samsung to be arrested in the group's 79-year history. In response to the arrest, Samsung Electronics and Samsung CT both saw their stock prices fall further than the overall market. However, Hotel Shilla, which is led by Lee Jae-yong's sister Lee Bu-jin, saw its shares rise by over 8%. This reflected potential gains for Lee Bu-jin should a power vacuum emerge at the top of Samsung. Samsung's involvement in a corruption scandal centering on Korean president Park Geun-hye is a serious threat to the dominance of chaebols, or corporate conglomerates, over South Korean politics. The special prosecutors have been unremitting in their focus on Park, who is accused of taking bribes. Members of the public believe this reflects well on South Korea's judiciary, and academics say that this could be positive for South Korea's image in the long run. ==MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC== This proves that the law is fair. Good job on the special prosecutors. ==CHO CHANG-HOO Professor of Sogang Business School, South Korea== This will show that South Korea as a country does not tolerate the illegal behavior. So in the long term, this will improve trust in South Korea. In addition to previous charges of bribery, the prosecutors are charging Lee with three additional crimes, including concealing illegal income, embezzlement, and perjury in a parliamentary hearing. The prosecutors' investigation revealed that Samsung promised Park's close friend Choi Soon-sil a bribe of 43 billion won, or about NT$1.15 billion, in exchange for government support of a merger involving one of Samsung's companies. The merger would have solidified Lee's position as Samsung's next leader. Samsung also gave expensive equestrian horses as gifts to Choi's daughter. Lee had met Park three times before and after the merger, but Lee said that he was pressured into those meetings. ==LEE KYU-CHUL Spokesman, South Korean Special Prosecution== During these three meetings, the bribes systemically flowed toward Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil. The Samsung Group said on the 17th that it would show the truth in full in court. The prosecution can hold Lee for up to 20 days before it decides whether to formally indict him. TRANSLATED BY：JOHN CHEN 南韓總統朴槿惠閨密干政醜聞繼續延燒。南韓法院17號凌晨，根據檢方提出的新事證，決定核發對三星集團少東李在鎔的逮捕令，李在鎔也成為三星集團成立以來，首位因案被捕的負責人，也連帶衝擊三星集團的股價。 南韓首爾地方法院，17號清晨5點35分，核發對三星集團副會長，也是目前實際負責人李在鎔的逮捕令。現年48歲的李在鎔，也成為三星集團成立79年以來，首名涉案被捕的掌門人。李在鎔被捕，三星集團旗下的三星電子公司以及集團實際上的控股公司三星物產，17號開盤分別下跌1.2%跟3.2%。跌幅都深於大盤。但李在鎔妺妺李富真掌管的新羅酒店，早盤大漲超過8%，似乎也透露出，一旦三星領導層出現明顯真空狀態，李富真在集團的地位將大幅提升。 三星集團這次捲入行賄案，對南韓長期的財閥政治有極大衝擊，獨立檢察組也將以此為契機，全力把調查重點，鎖定在涉嫌受賄的總統朴槿惠身上，有民眾對南韓司法表示肯定，學者也認為，長遠來看對南韓的形象有提升作用。 ==南韓民眾== 證明法律是公正的，獨立檢查組幹得好。 ==南韓西江大學商學院教授 邱昌勳(譯音)== 南韓的國家制度顯示出，不接受違法行為，因此長期來看，將有機會提升南韓的信用度。 除了先前的行賄罪外，檢方又對李在鎔增加三項罪名，包括藏匿非法所得，盜用公款以及在國會聽政會上的偽證罪。獨立檢察組掌握到，三星向朴槿惠的親信崔順實承諾要提供430億韓元，折合約11.5億台幣，換取政府支持旗下三星物產與第一毛織的合併案，藉此鞏固李在鎔的接班地位，此外，三星集團還贈送高價的馬術訓練馬，給崔順實的女兒鄭尤拉使用。而李在鎔在合併案前後，三度與朴槿惠見面，但李在鎔表示，是受朴槿惠施壓，不得已才這麼做。 ==南韓獨立檢查組發言人 李圭喆== 這三次的會面期間，行賄的金錢持續有系統的流向朴槿惠跟崔順實。 三星集團17號表示，將竭盡所能在法庭上完整揭發真象，而檢方也必須在20天的羈押期限內決定，是否要正式起訴李在鎔。 記者 靳元慶 報導