이재용 구속영장 기각, 특검의 수사는 그래도 계속
A Seoul court's decision to reject the independent counsel's request to arrest Samsung heir apparent Lee Jae-yong... has drawn strong reactions around the country.
However, the biggest question seems to be where the investigation will go from here.
Hwang Hojun starts us off.
To some a relief, and to some a great disappointment.
Samsung Electronics' de facto leader, who waited at the detention center for about 18 hours, went straight to work after the Seoul Central District Court decided to reject a request for a warrant to arrest him.
In its decision, the court said it's hard to say at this stage of the probe that there is a reason to arrest Lee or that it is either necessary or appropriate.
At the team's briefing on Thursday, the team's spokesperson emphasized that the rejection of the warrant does not mean that Lee will escape charges, and that the investigation into Samsung and President Park Geun-hye will continue.
The spokesperson indicated that re-submitting the request for an arrest warrant is not off the table.
"We haven't decided yet whether to re-submit a warrant request for vice chairman Lee Jae-yong. The independent counsel will first meticulously review the reason for the court's rejection, and then decide on a future course after an internal meeting."
The arrest warrant request was based on three charges -- bribery, embezzlement and perjury. Lee is accused of directing more than 36 million U.S. dollars to companies and foundations controlled by Choi Soon-sil -- the jailed confidante of President Park Geun-hye and the woman at the center of the corruption scandal -- in exchange for political support for a controversial merger between two Samsung affiliates in 2015.
The spokesperson said the request was not made out of haste but was a necessary step to take -- arresting Lee for bribery could, in effect, implicate President Park, who's considered to hold the keys to various aspects of the probe, and thus give prosecutors a better chance at questioning her face-to-face.
Regardless of the court's decision, Lee emphasized yet again that the team hopes to question the President in person by early February at the latest.
"Watchers are saying Lee Jae-yong's arrest could have helped with the special team's investigation of President Park Geun-hye later on.
As the independent counsel team reiterated its determination to get to the bottom of the political scandal, how much the court's decision will hamper the probe is too soon to call.
Hwang Hojun Arirang News.
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