Counsel to question Samsung's Lee again; considers summoning President Park

The special counsel team investigating the alleged corruption surrounding President Park Geun-hye is to question Samsung Group’s de facto chief Lee Jae-yong, alongside other executives Monday, while mulling over how to proceed with the most important part of its probe -- asking the president directly about the suspicions.

“Since the court’s rejection for an arrest warrant three weeks ago, we have continued investigating the bribery allegation (involving Samsung’s Lee and President Park) and have some questions to ask,” Lee Kyu-chul, spokesperson for Special Counsel Park Young-soo’s investigation team, told reporters Sunday.

“Whether or not we will retry the arrest of Lee will be determined after (Monday’s) questioning session.” 

Lee, the only son of Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, is suspected of bribing President Park and her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil in return for the state-run National Pension Service’s support of the conglomerate’s controversial merger of two units.

The independent counsel had sought to arrest him last month, but was blocked by the court, which cited a lack of evidence.

As for the interview of the president, the spokesperson said that the investigation team has had no consultation with the Blue House since the latter unilaterally called it off at the last minute last week.

The presidential office on Wednesday canceled the face-to-face questioning of President Park, which had been scheduled for the next day, saying the counsel team had leaked info about the session to the media.

“There is nothing decided yet over the face-to-face investigation of the president,” Lee said.

Local media reported the team may just subpoena the president, after its efforts to show courtesy to the sitting president by consulting with the presidential office about the timing and location of the event bore little fruit.

The team will likely take the action – a summons or not – this week, the reports said, as it must wrap up the probe by the end of this month.

The team earlier ruled out a forceful investigation of Park.

The interview, if realized, would make Park the first democratically elected leader to be questioned by investigators in Korea.

Park was impeached by the parliament on Dec. 9 over allegations she colluded with her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil to extort major conglomerates, including Samsung, to transfer around 77.4 billion won ($65 million) to two nonprofit foundations controlled by Choi.

Choi-controlled entities — the Mir and K-Sports foundations — are suspected to be covers for channeling money to Choi’s private business interests, including Core Sports, a paper company she set up in Germany.

The Constitutional Court is currently reviewing the legality of Park’s impeachment.

The special counsel has until Feb. 28 to conclude its investigation.

The counsel could ask for a one-month extension in the investigation period, but it requires the approval of acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is seen as a key Park ally.

Hwang said earlier it is “not appropriate” to talk about extending the mandate for the team while there is still time remaining for the investigation.

Earlier this month, the Blue House also refused to follow the team’s court-issued search warrant on the presidential compounds in central Seoul, blocking the raid.

The raid was carried out in order to secure evidence before Park’s questioning, but they were denied entry by presidential officials citing security reasons.

Under the law, any government facilities handling confidential information cannot be searched without the approval of the subject in charge.

In response, the counsel submitted the request on Friday to the local administrative court to seek the suspension of the disapproval by the presidential office, the prosecution and the court said.

The administrative court is expected to deliver its ruling by Tuesday on whether to allow the suspension.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)