The Prosecution Investigation Review Committee (Chairman Yang Chang-soo) of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office decided to stop the investigation on the suspected illegal administration of Propofol by Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung Electronics. The agenda asking whether or not to be prosecuted could not be concluded with an equal number of 7-7. On the afternoon of the 26th, the Investigation Review Committee held a pending issue committee at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, and made this decision, and then delivered the deliberation opinion to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office for Violent Crimes (Director Won Ji-ae).
In accordance with the rules of the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, the’Guidelines for the Prosecution’s Investigation Deliberation Committee’, the agenda of the pending agenda is decided with the approval of a majority of the attending members (Article 15, paragraph 2). All 15 pending committee members were present at the meeting, but only 14 people participated in the ballot when the prosecution’s request for evasion was accepted, stating that one of them “may have a conflict of interest”. As a result, the agenda asking whether to continue the investigation was rejected with 6 people in favor and 8 people against it, and the agenda asking whether to prosecute was rejected with 7 people in favor and 7 people against it.
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is present at the hearing for the remand of the case of’Gukjeong Nongdan’ held at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul on the afternoon of January 18th. On that day, Vice-Chairman Lee was sentenced to two years and six months in prison and was imprisoned. News 1
On that day, the committee members reviewed the opinions submitted by the prosecution investigation team and Vice Chairman Lee for about 3 hours and 45 minutes from 3:05 pm to 6:50 pm, and after hearing the opinions of both sides, they had a question and answer session. The investigation team claimed that Vice-Chairman Lee violated the Narcotics Control Act by administering propofol in an illegal way, and the Vice-Chairman Lee argued that he received treatment according to the doctor’s professional opinion. Afterwards, the meeting was ended after simultaneously voting on whether to continue the investigation and whether to prosecute without separate discussion.
Immediately after the end of the meeting, the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office’s investigation team made a short stance, saying, “We plan to review the final disposition by combining the results of the investigation so far and the opinions of the Investigation Deliberation Committee.” On the other hand, a lawyer on the side of Vice Chairman Lee argued, “Because the number of members present today must be 14 and the majority must be 8 or more, conclusively, the investigation and prosecution have all been rejected. Therefore, the investigation must be stopped and the prosecution must be dismissed.” did.
In the case of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong’s suspected illegal administration of propofol, the Prosecutors’ Investigation Review Committee held a pending issue committee at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul on the afternoon of the 26th and decided to stop the investigation. The indictment was not concluded by an equal number. Samsung Electronics’ Seocho office building is visible behind the prosecution flag on the Great Swords Office. News 1
The deliberation opinion of the deliberation committee has a recommended effect on the investigation team, but is not compulsory. In particular, the prosecution and opposition to the agenda asking whether to be prosecuted will not have a significant impact on the prosecution’s investigation and prosecution. In June of last year, the Investigation Review Committee also voted against the prosecution against the suspicion of the illegal merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries and the succession of management rights, but the prosecution enforced the prosecution.
Earlier, in January of last year, the National Rights Commission requested a public prosecutor to investigate after receiving a public interest report that Vice-Chairman Lee routinely administered Propofol at a plastic surgery clinic in Seoul. Vice Chairman Lee’s side continued denying the charges and applied for a convocation of the Investigation Deliberation Committee in January, and the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office Citizen’s Committee held the Deputy Deliberation Committee on the 11th to accept Lee’s request.
Reporters Kang Kwang-woo and Ha Jun-ho [email protected]
