POLICE DELAY ARREST DECISION
Economics count in fate of Samsung leader
Seoul — South Korea’s special prosecutor said it would take into account the economic effect of arresting Samsung Group leader Jay Y Lee in connection with an influence-peddling investigation involving the president. The office delayed until Monday its decision on whether to seek the arrest of Lee, the third-generation leader of South Korea’s largest conglomerate, citing the gravity of the case. The special prosecution had said it would make a decision on Lee by Sunday. But a spokesman told reporters on Sunday that investigators were considering all factors, including the potential economic effect, of the arrest of Lee. Prosecutors have been investigating whether Samsung provided 30-billion won ($25.46m) to a business and to foundations backed by President Park Geun-hye’s friend, Choi Soon-sil, in exchange for the national pension fund’s support for a 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates, Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. The Samsung chief denied bribery accusations during a parlia...
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