Like Father Like Son: Samsung heir Jay Y. Lee Pardoned For Crimes

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Author: David Brown

According to South Korea’s Ministry of Justice, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee will be granted a presidential pardon on Monday. This will enable him to restore his position as the head of the nation’s largest corporation.

Lee served 18 months of imprisonment for bribing ex-South Korean president Park Geun-Hye before receiving his parole last year. 

In addition to limiting his abroad travel, Lee’s parole included a five-year employment prohibition. Thanks to the pardon, the 54-year-old executive’s 2017 sentence will no longer appear on his criminal history.

The Background

Lee Jae-Yong (54) was detained in February 2017 for being involved in Samsung’s payment of bribes to numerous entities connected to a presidential advisor. 

The bribes were given to secure support for a possible $8 billion acquisition of two Samsung Group companies. 

Lee was among five Samsung officials who paid $6.4m in bribes to former South Korean President Park Geun-Hye in August 2017. 

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He was also found guilty of perjury, fraud, concealing assets outside the nation, and being part of the five.

The quick trial and decline from favor didn’t persist for very long. At an appeals hearing in Feb 2018, Lee’s detention was reduced by half. Significant bribery and fraud charges were deferred, allowing him to get out of jail after only six months. 

According to a National Assembly member, the decision again proved that Samsung was beyond the law and the court.

In 2021, Lee’s appeals led to a second trial and a 30-month sentence. In August 2021, after completing 18 of the required 30 months, Lee received parole. These charges have now been dropped.

This will allow Samsung’s de facto boss Lee to formally take on management responsibilities and reclaim his employment. His appointment is anticipated to aid Samsung in hastening its choice of main strategies, from chip manufacturing to investment projects.

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The pardon comes when the semiconductor sector deals with difficulties like supply shortages caused by the coronavirus outbreak, inflation, and logistical problems.

According to a South Korean government official, the special pardons given to business executives will contribute to resolving the country’s current economic crisis because of their contributions to driving national progress via job and tech creation.

Lee expressed his gratitude for the chance to start over in a statement. Lee pledged to work harder to support society by making ongoing investments and generating new jobs.

What does this mean for the South Korean Economy?

The choice opens the door for Korea’s renowned business scion to assume control of the world’s largest memory chip and smartphone manufacturer. 

Lee’s homecoming is seen as a calming influence on the Korean economy. The economy was shaken by inflation, market turbulence from the Ukraine conflict, and logistical snarls brought on by China’s COVID lockdowns. Long-term prospects for Samsung, which operates significant fabs in the two biggest economies, are also complicated by increasing tensions between the United States and China over chip technology.

On Friday, Lee expressed regret to the people of Korea and pledged to start afresh. In a statement, Lee promised, “I will work hard to give back to the community and flourish together.”

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54-year-old Lee has been given a special pardon that will take effect on August 15, the nation’s anniversary of independence. He had initially been given a 30-month sentence for allegedly trying to buy the support of the state for his succession by bribing the president in office. He will be able to go abroad for business thanks to the reinstatement and re-join the IT company’s board.

This is a Great News for Samsung

According to Park Ju-gun, head of corporate research at Leaders Index, Samsung is in danger. This is because it has lost both of its strengths: technological leadership and stringent management. In order to maintain its dominance in the semiconductor sector, there is a lack of a control tower that makes the appropriate judgments at the right moment.

With the release, Lee may formally reclaim his position as leader. He was prohibited from working for five years as part of the terms of his parole and has instead been receiving reports from business executives without a legitimate board title. Lee is anticipated to hasten critical strategic choices, including governance reforms and chip manufacturing agreements.

Throughout its earnings report last month, Samsung warned that the upcoming year would be tough to anticipate due to the war, inflation, and declining consumer demand. Lee’s return may significantly impact Samsung and get the corporation back on the map.

The Bottom Line

The possibility of Lee running for chairman of the IT behemoth is one of the unanswered issues around him. The position of CEO of the billion dollars corporation has been vacant since his father passed away in October 2020. Since Lee is sued in connection with the merging of Samsung companies, he won’t be free of legal troubles for years. He will also be required to attend weekly proceedings in that case.

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