Seoul (AFP)

The heir to the Samsung empire, Lee Jae-yong, arrived in court on Friday to be tried again for corruption, a high-risk trial for the world's leading maker of smartphones and chips that could, if convicted, find deprived of his principal decision maker.

Lee Jae-yong, vice president of the empire Samsung Electronics, whose profits have been falling for several months, was sentenced in 2017 to five years in prison for his role in the resounding corruption scandal that took the former President Park Geun-hye.

With an impassive face, he arrived Friday morning at the High Court of Justice in Seoul, surrounded by his lawyers.

"I'm sorry for causing so much concern to people, I apologize," he told reporters.

He was released in February after appealing his conviction.

In August, the South Korean Supreme Court overturned the appeal judgment and ordered that Mr. Lee and Ms. Park be retried.

This new trial, which is expected to last several months, falls to the worst for Samsung Electronics, which is the cost of trade sanctions imposed on Korea by Tokyo, against a background of old disputes inherited from the Japanese colonial past on the Korean peninsula.

Although the daily activities of the South Korean electronics giant are managed by a board of directors, the absence of the vice president could slow down important decisions, according to a report by KB Securities.

- The weight of the trial -

The lawsuit adds to the uncertainty over the company, according to a source who is in direct contact with the electronics giant who says "there are things that only Lee Jae-yong can do."

Samsung Electronics is the flagship of the Samsung Group, the largest family conglomerate in South Korea, or "chaebol", whose various industrial activities represent an important part of the 11th world economy.

Its global turnover is equivalent to one-fifth of the country's gross domestic product.

"This puts a lot of weight on Samsung Electronics and it will have a negative impact on the Korean economy," said Kim Dae-jong, a professor of economics at Sejong University.

The operating profit of the world's number one in the smartphone market fell by 50% in the third quarter, the fourth consecutive quarter of decline.

The group is particularly affected by the decline in semiconductor prices and the lack of strength of the market for its handsets. It was also rejected the launch of its Galaxy Fold, the very first device with foldable screen, with the Huawei Mate X, because of the fragility of its screen.

The lawsuits of Mr. Lee and Mrs. Park had exposed the unhealthy relations between the ruling classes and the powerful families that hold the country's big conglomerates.

The former president, who is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence, and her confidante Choi Soon-sil, were accused of forcing South Korean groups to pay bribes in return for political favors.

Mr. Lee was sued in particular for the millions of dollars that Samsung had paid to Ms. Choi Soon-Sil, to buy the government's support for the generational handover at the top of the group following her father's heart attack. 2014.

- Contribution to the national economy -

Lee had traveled to Tokyo in July to negotiate the possibility of continuing to source supplies after severe product restrictions crucial for South Korean technology giants imposed by Japan.

In October, he announced an investment plan of more than 9.87 billion euros to develop new generation screens.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in stood beside him at the announcement. The two men have met nine times since the release of Samsung's heir.

"I thank Samsung for ... leading the South Korean economy," he said.

Mr Moon had promised to end corruption and since he became president in 2017, he has been enjoying increasingly warm relations with the largest group in the country.

South Korea is growing about 2 percent, and like its predecessors, Moon is counting on Samsung to support the economy, said Kim.

According to Noh Dong-ill, a law professor at the University of Korea, South Korea's judicial system tends to be lenient with conglomerate leaders because of their "contribution to the national economy".

Mr. Lee's father and grandfather were in trouble with the law but never went to jail.

"Judges could come to a similar decision this time," Noh said.

© 2019 AFP