[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Kim Jisun] The trial of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who was put on trial on charges of illegal mergers and accounting irregularities at Samsung Group, is expected to take final steps next month.

The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Department 25-2 (Presiding Judge Park Jung-je, Ji Gwi-yeon and Park Jung-gil) held the 105th trial of 13 former and incumbent Samsung executives and employees, including Chairman Lee, who was indicted on charges of violating the Capital Market and Financial Investment Business Act (Capital Markets Act) on the 27th.

On this day, the prosecutor's office and the lawyer made a final statement on the issue. The prosecution claimed, "The problem with the merger in this case is the unfairness of the merger ratio, and the stock price of Samsung C&T damaged the governance restructuring." On the other hand, the lawyer countered, "There is no characteristic of fraudulent accounting and the actual truth confirmed by evidence is the opposite."

After compiling the opinions of the two sides, the court designated November 17 as the final trial date. He asked both sides, "Please focus on the conclusion of what you want to emphasize, such as sentencing, normal, and legal principles that you have not talked about so far."

In the final trial, the prosecution will announce its final opinion on the indictment, seeking a sentence, the lawyer's final defense and the defendant's final statement will be made. There may be direct remarks by Chairman Lee, who has been silent throughout the trial.

In the case of the trials of Chairman Lee and others, observers say it will take months to prepare the ruling alone because the evidence is extensive and controversial, with the prosecution's investigation records alone reaching 190,000 pages, and the hearing has been conducted for a long time. As a result, the first trial of Chairman Lee and others is expected as early as the end of the year and January to February at the latest.

 

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