Seoul (AFP)

Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong was sentenced Monday in Seoul to two and a half years in prison in a resounding corruption scandal, a move that deprives the South Korean tech giant of its chief decision-maker.

Officially, Lee Jae-yong is vice president of Samsung Electronics, the world's leading manufacturer of smartphones and memory chips.

But in fact, he is the one who has taken up the torch at the head of the conglomerate since his father Lee Kun-hee, the architect of the group's global take-off, stepped back due to health problems.

The patriarch passed away in October.

Samsung is by far the largest of the "chaebols", those family-run industrial empires that dominate the world's 12th largest economy.

Its overall turnover represents one fifth of South Korea's GDP and is therefore crucial for the country's economic health.

He "voluntarily paid bribes and asked the president to use her power to facilitate her smooth accession" to the head of the conglomerate, the Seoul Central District Court said.

"It is very unfortunate that Samsung, the country's largest company and a global flagship of innovation, is repeatedly involved in crimes as soon as political power changes."

- "Huge blow for Samsung" -

The 52-year-old leader refused to answer journalists' questions when he arrived free in court.

After the verdict was announced, he was immediately taken into custody.

For some analysts, this imprisonment will create a vacuum that could harm the decision-making process at the head of the group, especially on major future investments.

“This is really a huge blow, a big crisis for Samsung,” said Kim Dae-jong, professor at Sejong University.

Samsung Electronics did not react to the verdict.

Like many tech groups, it saw its action rise during the pandemic.

But the title closed Monday on a decline of 3.4%.

In this case, Mr. Lee was sentenced to five years in prison in 2017.

On appeal, most of the corruption charges were dismissed and Mr. Lee received a suspended prison sentence.

But the Supreme Court then ordered a new trial.

The case involves millions of dollars the group had paid to the president's shadow confidante, Choi Soon-sil.

Bribes which were according to the accusation intended to facilitate the transfer of power to the head of the conglomerate, while Lee Kun-hee was bedridden after a heart attack in 2014.

The Supreme Court definitively confirmed last Thursday the sentence of former President Park to 20 years in prison, in particular for abuse of power.

- "Regrettable" stop -

This scandal had once again underlined the troubled connections between the South Korean power and the great families who control the "chaebols", these conglomerates at the origin of the prodigious recovery of the country after the Korean War.

"This is fundamentally a case in which the freedom and property rights of a company have been violated by the abuse of power by the former president," defense lawyer Lee In-jae told reporters. .

"In view of the nature of the case, I find the court ruling regrettable."

In May 2020, the heir made a rare apology to the media, especially for the controversial succession process that allows him to take the lead of the group founded by his grandfather Lee Byung-chull.

Lee Jae-yong even promised that he would be the last in the family line of succession and that his children would not inherit it.

His father and grandfather were also in trouble with the law, but neither served a prison sentence.

In the past, big bosses convicted of tax evasion or corruption have often benefited from a presidential pardon for services rendered to the economy.

In a statement, the Federation of Korean Industries expressed concern about a risk of "negative impact" of the judgment on "the whole economy".

Mr. Lee "has helped support the economy through bold investments and job creation in the context of the economic crisis linked to the coronavirus."

Samsung Electronics announced ten days ago that it expected a 25% jump in operating profit in the fourth quarter, boosted by the very strong demand for chips induced by the rise in teleworking during the pandemic.

© 2021 AFP