By Park Si-soo
Samsung Electronics has not released any official reaction to the conviction of its vice chief Lee Jae-yong. But insiders at the firm said they were “shocked” and “dumbfounded” by the ruling, worrying about the tech giant’s future.
“We were taken aback when he (Lee) was arrested in February,” an insider told Yonhap News Agency. “But his conviction has come as a bigger shock. The company has been in an emergency mode due to the leadership vacuum. And Lee’s conviction means the emergency situation will continue for a long time.”
Another insider said Lee’s conviction had been expected, but the five-year jail term was “harsher than expected.”