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South Korea's Yoon pardons Samsung's Jay Y. Lee to counter 'economic crisis'

12 August 2022 10:31 (UTC +04:00)

South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol pardoned Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee on Friday, with South Korea's Justice Ministry saying the business leader was needed to help overcome a "national economic crisis," APA reports citing Reuters.

The pardon is largely symbolic, with Lee already out on parole after serving 18 months in jail for bribery relating to his time leading the world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker.

However, the pardon should mean Lee will be able to carry out business activities more freely and could herald some big investments from Samsung, analysts said.

"With urgent needs to overcome the national economic crisis, we carefully selected economic leaders who lead the national growth engine through active technology investment and job creation to be pardoned," Justice Minister Han Dong Hoon told a briefing.

Lee, a scion of Samsung's founding family, welcomed the decision and vowed to work hard for the national economy.

"I will contribute to the economy with continuous investment and job creation and give back the people and government's regards," Samsung said in a statement, citing Lee.

Also pardoned by pro-business President Yoon was Lotte Group chairman Shin Dong-bin, who was sentenced to a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence on charges of bribery.

"We sincerely thank the government's and people's decision to grant pardon, and Chairman Shin Dong-bin and staff members at Lotte will contribute to overcoming the complex global crisis," Lotte said in a statement.