South Korean Supreme Court Ends Legal Crisis: Samsung President Cleared of Financial Manipulation Charges

Today, Thursday, July 17, the South Korean Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of Jay Y. Lee, the chairman of Samsung Electronics, on charges of accounting fraud and stock manipulation related to the merger of two group subsidiaries in 2015 worth $8 billion.

This finalizes a lengthy legal case, confirming the rulings of the appellate and first courts that had previously acquitted him of all charges. The case stemmed from allegations by the prosecution that the merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries a decade ago aimed to strengthen Lee's control over the Samsung group.

In a swift response, the Korean business federation welcomed the verdict, describing it as "lifting a major legal burden off the company," especially amidst fierce global competition in high-tech sectors like artificial intelligence and semiconductors, in addition to economic challenges arising from U.S. tariffs.

The federation expressed hope that under Lee's leadership, Samsung will accelerate investments and innovations, potentially creating job opportunities and driving economic growth in the country.

It is worth noting that the lower court had acquitted Lee of the same charges last year, before the Supreme Court decisively ended the legal controversy today.