Panel to conduct external review into prosecution's case against Samsung heir Lee

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong leaves the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, south of Seoul, after a court denied the issuance of an arrest warrant for him, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Bahk Eun-ji

An outside experts group will review the validity of an ongoing investigation by the prosecution into Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, involving a controversial merger and alleged accounting fraud, it was announced Thursday.

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol accepted a request for this made earlier by South Korea's largest conglomerate after a panel made up of ordinary citizens ― including a taxi driver, homemaker, retired civil servant and a teacher ― overseeing operations by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office voted in favor of an independent examination into the case.

The prosecutor-general must organize an experts group such a decision is made.

The citizens' panel said it reviewed 120 pages of written opinions ― 30 from the prosecution and 90 from Lee and Samsung's lawyers ― before reaching its decision within a day. It said it was necessary to give an experts committee enough time to review the validity of the investigation in light of the seriousness of the case and the public interest.

When the committee is formed, it will have two weeks to determine whether the investigation into, and possible indictment of, Lee has merit.

Earlier this week, the Seoul Central District Court turned down a prosecution request to arrest and detain Lee in the ongoing investigation in to the possible illicit merger of two Samsung affiliates and alleged accounting fraud at Samsung Biologics in 2015.

The court cited insufficient probable cause for the arrest. Lee is accused of playing a role in the merger between Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T, which the prosecutors suspect was designed to help him take over the managerial rights to Samsung Group from his father, Lee Kun-hee.

Last week, Samsung's lawyers requested a public assessment of the investigation. The prosecution service introduced the outside review system in 2018 to enhance neutrality and fairness of its probes into cases that were deemed to be in the public interest.