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| Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong enters Seoul High Court for the re-hearing of evidence in an appeal in a major bribery case, Monday. / Yonhap |
By Baek Byung-yeul
Lee Jae-yong, the imprisoned chief of Samsung Group, has vowed to continue his support for the activities of the conglomerate's compliance committee in his first message from behind bars, a move to fulfill his pledge to enhance transparent management at the country's largest chaebol
Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel affiliate of the group, said Thursday that Lee, who is listed as vice chairman of the company, delivered the message through his legal team.
"Vice Chairman Lee sent a message that he will continue to support the activity of the group's compliance committee. He also earnestly asked the committee members to continue doing their jobs," the company said.
On Monday, an appellate court handed a prison sentence of two-and-a-half years to the vice chairman in the re-hearing of evidence in an appeal of his bribery conviction. Lee was convicted and imprisoned in 2017 after being found guilty of paying bribes to former President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.
However, Lee was released in 2018 after the Seoul High Court partially suspended the sentence. The Supreme Court, however, ordered a re-hearing of the appeal in 2019, stating he should be found guilty of some bribery charges excluded from an earlier ruling. The vice chairman was said to have bribed Park and Choi to smooth the transfer of power to him from his father.
The compliance committee was initiated in February 2020 as the nation's most powerful conglomerate realized the need for assistance in helping it recover its tarnished reputation after a series of scandals including the corruption conviction of the vice chairman.
Lee has encouraged the compliance committee to play a role as a watchdog in ensuring Samsung abides by the law and improves transparency in management. The compliance committee has looked at three issues ― the group's attitude to unions, management succession and communication with civic organizations ― as key points on its agenda to improve the conglomerate's business compliance.
After the committee's recommendation, Lee issued a public apology saying he wouldn't seek to pass on management of the conglomerate to his children and would work to facilitate active communication between management and any union.
During his final testimony, Dec. 30, 2020, Lee said Samsung was doing its utmost to enhance compliance and the committee had helped to create meaningful progress. "Meaningful changes are taking place in our company. They are not small changes at all. I myself am also realizing the changes made through compliance management," Lee said.
