The South Korean Supreme Court has acquitted Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong on Thursday, bringing an end to a decade-long legal battle that had clouded his leadership. The acquittal clears Mr. Lee of accounting fraud and stock manipulation charges, lifting uncertainty over the tech giant’s future.
Lee Jae-yong, scion of the company’s founding family, has faced criticism for allegedly being above the law. Over the past decade, he has appeared in court multiple times and served time for bribing a former president. The latest acquittal stems from a 2015 merger that cemented his control over Samsung Electronics.
Prosecutors had accused Mr. Lee of illegally pricing the subsidiaries’ stock prices and committing other criminal offenses during the merger. However, a district court cleared him of all charges in February 2024, citing a lack of evidence. The Seoul High Court upheld this decision, which has now been endorsed by the Supreme Court.
The acquittal lifts a cloud over Samsung Electronics, which faces challenges from tariffs and global competition in developing chips used for artificial intelligence. Pro-business lobby groups welcome the ruling, saying it will enable Mr. Lee to lead the company more effectively and invest in semiconductor technologies.
However, critics, including the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, have expressed concerns that Samsung’s influence over South Korean society has become too pervasive. They argue that the country has become a “Republic of Samsung,” where the judiciary is under the control of the conglomerate.
The ruling brings an end to Mr. Lee’s years-long legal battle and clears his path for leadership at Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s leading computer chip and smartphone makers.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/world/asia/samsung-lee-jaeyong-acquitted.html