Why South Korea just pardoned the Samsung 'prince' - BBC

Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong - convicted of bribery and embezzlement in 2017 - has been granted a special presidential pardon. One of South Korea's ... Imagesource,GettyImagesImagecaption,ProtestershadoncefocusedonSamsungheirLeeJae-yonginanti-corruptiondemonstrationsSamsungheirLeeJae-yong-convictedofbriberyandembezzlementin2017-hasbeengrantedaspecialpresidentialpardon.OneofSouthKorea'smostpowerfulwhitecollarcriminals,Leewastwiceimprisonedforbribingaformerpresident.SouthKorea'sgovernmentjustifiedthemove,sayingthede-factoleaderofthecountry'sbiggestcompanywasneededbackatthehelmtospearheadeconomicrecoverypost-pandemic.ThismarksanotherswinginastruggleoverhowthecountryisrunthathasragedsincemassproteststookoverSeoulsixyearsagoandoustedapresidentfromoffice.Lee'scrimesweredirectlytiedupinthecorruptionscandalthatledtotheimprisonmentofformerpresidentParkGeun-Hye,inofficefrom2013-2017.The"CrownPrinceofSamsung"-ashewasdubbedbyprotesters-paid$8million(£6.6m)inbribestoPresidentParkandherassociatetosecuresupportforamergeropposedbyshareholdersthatwouldshoreuphiscontrolofhisfamily'sempire.Whenitwasrevealed,millionsofSouthKoreansturnedoutatcandlelitprotestseveryweekendinthe2016/2017winter,demandinganendtoPark'sgovernmentandthestitch-upbetweenpoliticsandbusiness.Imagesource,GettyImagesImagecaption,MillionsofpeopleattendedtheprotestsagainstPresidentParkandhercorruptionKorea'sparliamentimpeachedParkandshewasimprisonedin2017for25years.Lee,whoisalsoknownasJayYLeeintheWest,wasjailedayearlaterforoffencesincludingembezzlingcompanyfundstobuya$800,000(£650,000)horseforthepresident'sfriend'sdaughter.Anewpresident,MoonJae-insweptintoofficewithamandatetocleanupthemess.Buthefailedtomakemuchheadway.Inhislastdaysaspresident,hegrantedapardontohispredecessor.Noweightmonthslater,underanothernewpresident,Samsung'schiefhasalsoreceivedthesameclemency.Forthosewhohavebeenfightingagainstcorruption,it'sadispiritingblow."Itisasetback.AnditmeansKorearetreatstothetimebeforethecandlelitdemonstrations,"saidSanginPark,aneconomicsandindustrialpolicyprofessoratSeoulNationalUniversity.'Octopus'influenceLee'scasereaffirmspopularconceptionthatbusinessleadersareuntouchableandabovethelaw.InKorea,giantconglomeratesdominatetheeconomy,withthetop10accountingforabout80%ofGDP.Knownaschaebols,theyarefamily-controlledempireswhichprovideaspanofservices.LG,Hyundai,Lotte,andSKareamongthem.ButSamsungisthebiggestandmostpowerfulofthemall.Imagesource,GettyImagesImagecaption,Leewasfirstjailedforbriberyandcorruptionin2017-butthenwaslaterreleasedfromjailtwice.Astheworld'slargestsmartphonemaker,it'saglobalelectronicsbrand.Butathomeitdoesmuchmore-hospitals,hotels,insuranceplans,billboards,shipyardsandeventhemeparks.Samsungandotherchaebolsaresoomnipresentthey'reknownas"octopus"firms,saysProfYoonKyungLee,apoliticalsociologistattheUniversityofToronto.AndthosetentacleshavelongwormedtheirwayintothehighestlevelsofKoreanpolitics.ProfLeewasatthe2016protestsandsaysmostoftheangerwasdirectedatPresidentPark'spersonalactions.Butshesaidlabouractivistsandothersstrovetohighlightthechaebols'outsizeinfluenceongovernment.ChaebolswereheavilysupportedbythegovernmentaftertheKoreanWar.Theyweregivencheaperelectricityandtaxincentives,therewasa"Buy-Korea"policyandevenhelpinsuppressingunionmovements.Buttheresultingmonopoliesalsocrushedcompetition,stifledlabourmovementsandtheirpracticesspawneddecadesofbriberyandcorruptioncases.Inmanycases,ProfLeesaid,executivesweregivenlightorsuspendedsentences.Insomecasesjudgessaidtheeconomymightsufferifachaebolleaderwastakenoutofaction.MrLee'sownfather,LeeKun-heewasconvictedofbriberyandfraudinthe1990swhenhewasSamsungchairman.Buthedidn'tserveasingledayofjailtime.Soin2017,whenhissonwashauledawaytoacellonafive-yearsentence,activistshopedthecasewouldmarkaturningpoint.InandoutofjailCelebrationhoweverwasshortlived.Lee'scourtbattledraggedonforyearswithtwistsandturnsworthyofthemostdramaticKoreanserials.Anappealscourtreleasedhim,ahighercourtthenorderedaretrialatwhichhewasagainfoundguiltyandjailed.Butjustafewmonthsintohissecondjailterm,theMoongovernmentreleasedhimonparole,sayingitwasinthenationalinterest.Sincethen,hehasreturnedasthepublicfaceofSamsung-inMaygreetingUSPresidentJoeBidenonatradevisittoSouthKorea.Imagesource,GettyImagesImagecaption,LeehaslargelyresumedhispublicdutiesasaSamsungexecutive,meetingwiththeUSleaderinSeoulinMayLeestillfacescriminalallegations-ofriggingcompanyvaluations,accountingfraudandmakingSamsungbusinessdecisionsinbreachofhissentenceconditions.Clemencymeanshewillbeabletofullyresumehisexecutiveresponsibilities.Itfollowsapatternofconvictedchaebolleadershavingtheirslateswipedclean."Whenitcomestoformalpower,there'sthepresident'sofficeandtheNationalAssembly-they'remakingthelaws,"ProfLeesaid."ButwhenitcomestopoliticalinfluenceorculturalinfluenceorevenhowpeoplethinkabouttheimportanceofchaebolinKoreansociety,it'sreallydowntoacoalitionofconservativepoliticalandbusinesseliteswhoallhaveinterestswitheachother."DividedreactionThegovernment'spardonofLeerestsontheargumentthatchaebolleadersareneededfortheeconomy.Butnumerouseconomistshavepointedoutthisisn'tbackedupbyhardproof."Thepardoningofchaebolcontrollershasnotcontributedtoeconomicgrowthorturnaroundhistorically,"saidProfPark.AnalystssaySamsunghasfaredperfectlywellwhileLeehasbeeninandoutofprison.ReformadvocatessaySouthKorea,wheregrowthhasbeenslowingforyears,alsoneedstoenditsdependenceonchaebols."Severalstudieshaveshownthatit'sgettinghardertogetthe'trickle-downeffect'-it'stimetomoveawayfromtheoldnotionthatanyillegalactsdonebychaebolsare'forgivable'iftheydotheirjobs,"saysRohJong-Hwa,alawyerfromanadvocacygroupSolidarityforEconomicReform.StillthedismayamongcriticsoverLee'spardoningisnotsharedamongthebroaderSouthKoreanpublic.Arecentpublicpollrecorded70%supportforthepardon.Howtoexplainthatsupport?Thedesiretotacklecorruptionandchaebolinfluenceremains,expertssay.Butitismingledwithfearandconcernsoveraloomingrecession-andresidualprideoverSamsungrepresentingKoreaontheworldstage."There'sacorebeliefthatifSamsungdoeswell,Koreadoeswell.AndKoreanshavelivedwiththismythforsomanydecades,it'sreallyhardforordinarycitizenstobreakoutofit,"saysProfLee."Rightnow,amidaneconomicdownturn,peoplewanttoseesomeconcretesignthatwearemovingforwardandLee'sreleaseisasignofthat."WithreportingbyYunaKu,BBCKoreanServiceMoreonthisstorySamsungheirreleasedfromprisononparole13August2021Samsungheirfacesfreshchargesover2015merger1September2020Samsungscandal:WhoisLeeJae-yong?5February2018RelatedTopicsSamsungCorruptionSouthKoreaTopStoriesPolicehuntsuspectsoverdeadlyCanadastabbingsPublished2hoursagoTrussorSunaktobeannouncedasUK'snextPMPublished1houragoChinesemotorcyclistsjoinwildfirebattle.VideoChinesemotorcyclistsjoinwildfirebattlePublished6hoursagoFeaturesSevenbigquestionsfacingthenewprimeministerChinesemotorcyclistsjoinwildfirebattle.VideoChinesemotorcyclistsjoinwildfirebattleInsideIndia's'factoriesofdeath'Japan'sfemalebossesmappingacourseforotherwomenWhatwillBorisJohnsondonext?WhenwillweknowwhothenewPMis?'WhyImadeafilmaboutmyaddiction'Video'WhyImadeafilmaboutmyaddiction'Jacksonwatercrisis:Alegacyofenvironmentalracism?Whatisthebesttimeofdaytoexercise?ElsewhereontheBBCLivingwithoutplasticinJapanTheBritishislesthatdisappeareveryday'There'smoretolifethanachievingaKPI'MostRead1PolicehuntsuspectsoverdeadlyCanadastabbings2TrussorSunaktobeannouncedasUK'snextPM3ArtistremovesUkraine-Russiamuralafterbacklash4BedBath&Beyondfinancechieffallstohisdeath5MysteryasprivateplanecrashesintoBalticSea6BillionaireformerTatachairmandiesincarcrash7Nirvanawinlawsuitover1991albumcover8Germanyvows€65bnpackagetocombatenergycrisis933-day'SmilingPope'onestepawayfromsainthood10InsideIndia's'factoriesofdeath'