It’s a turbulent time in South Korean politics as allegations of corruption loom over President Park Geun-hye. Now prosecutors are calling for an arrest warrant for Samsung vice chairman Lee Jae-yong.

The heir to the Samsung brand faces allegations of making payments to a friend of President Geun-hye, Choi Soon-sil.

Connections to the president were thrown under the spotlight last year when it was alleged that Soon-sil leveraged her relationship with the head of state to garner donations to non-profits that were set up and used for personal gain.

https://htxt.co.za/2016/11/08/samsung-offices-in-south-korea-raided-amid-corruption-suspicisions/

It is alleged that Jae-yong paid 43 billion South Korean won to Soon-sil. This payment was to get the backing of the National Pension Fund’s support of a merging of Cheil Industries (a South Korean textile firm) and Samsung C&T (the brand’s construction business) in 2015 according to prosecutors. That merger was approved.

In a report by the Telegraph Samsung said that it did give funds to non-profit organisations, “but did not lobby to push through the merger.”

“We can’t accept the prosecutor’s argument that we made illegal requests associated with the merger and management succession,” a Samsung spokesperson was quoted as saying.

A Seoul court will hold a hearing on Wednesday to decide whether the warrant for Jae-yong’s arrest will be approved.

[Via – The Telegraph]