[Photo by Yoo Dae-gil = dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]
The independent probe team that is looking into the influence-peddling and corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her friend is likely to seek an arrest warrant again for Lee Jae-yong, sources said.
The team, led by Special Counsel Park Young-soo, is mulling over whether to again try to get an arrest warrant for the Samsung Group's de facto heir apparent after it finishes a face-to-face investigation of the president early next month.
"Since this is the last chance (to seek a warrant), we will be perfectly prepared to do so," a person from the team told Yonhap News Agency. Under the law, the team's investigation will be wrapped up at the end of February, although it is possible for it to be extended for another 30 days.
On Jan. 19, a local court rejected the issuing of an arrest warrant for the vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co. on charges of bribery, embezzlement and perjury. The team believes that Lee ordered his company to give tens of millions of dollars to the president's friend Choi Soon-sil in return for the state-run pension fund's backing of a merger of two Samsung affiliates.
(Yonhap)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
