Samsung Deputy Chief Executive sentenced to 2.5 years in prison

South Korea's Seoul High Court sentenced Samsung Deputy Chief Executive Lee Jae-Yong to 2.5 years in prison for irregularities in the controversial merger of two Samsung units in 2015.

Samsung, one of South Korea's biggest tech giants, has been further rocked by a scandal. Lee Jae-Yong, who serves as Samsung's vice president, has been sued for irregularities in the controversial merger of the two Samsung units. South Korea's Seoul High Court has ordered Lee Jae-Yong to serve 2.5 years in prison.

HE WAS CHARGED WITH BRIBERY

Lee was tried and convicted as part of a bribery scandal that led to the dismissal of former President Park Geun-Hye. Lee had been accused of bribing government members under the name of donations through non-governmental organizations in which Choi Soon-Sil, a close friend of Park's, was an administrator. After his father, Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, was hospitalized with a heart attack in 2014, Lee effectively took control of the company.

THE FORMER SOUTH KOREAN LEADER'S SENTENCE WAS ALSO UPHELD

Meanwhile, South Korea's Supreme Court upheld the 22-year prison sentence given to former President Park Geun-Hye for bribery, misconduct in office, and other crimes. She was dismissed from her post in 2017 over corruption and bribery charges against South Korea's first Conservative female leader. Park, who was arrested on the charges, was convicted of different crimes. Considering prosecutors ' appeal against the decision to have Park's sentence reduced in July last year, the court cleared the former President of "racketeering" and misappropriating certain duties. The 25-year sentence for Park was reduced to 22 years. The former head of State, meanwhile, will also face penalties for violating election laws and embezzlement charges that were previously dropped from the case file.