Samsung Group’s heir apparent Lee Jae-yong is attending a court hearing in Seoul on an arrest warrant in a widening investigation into the country’s largest corruption scandal, which led to President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment on Dec. 9.

A court decision on whether the de facto chief of the country’s largest conglomerate will be taken into custody is expected to come later Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

As Lee, 48, appeared at the Seoul Central District Court at 9:55 a.m., journalists bombarded him with questions, but he quickly walked past the crowd to the courtroom without answering any questions.

An independent counsel investigating the scandal surrounding President Park sought a warrant for Lee on charges of offering bribes to Park’s longtime friend Choi Soon-sil in return for the Park administration’s backing of a merger of two Samsung affiliates. 

Lee, the vice chairman of Samsung Electronics and only son of the ill-stricken Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee, has denied all charges, saying he was forced to make donations to entities including the K-Sports and Mir foundations set up and controlled by Choi.

In a session to review the warrant application, Samsung’s lawyers are expected to argue it is not necessary to detain Lee, citing he is not a flight risk and his absence from the company could pose a threat to the nation’s economy.

The prosecution, on the other hand, is expected to argue detainment is necessary to uphold law and justice, citing how the arrest will impact the ongoing investigation into the bribery allegations surrounding Park, Choi and local firms. 

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)