Prosecution appeal begins for Samsung chief Lee over 2015 merger case

A South Korean high court began on Monday hearing a prosecution appeal over a decision by a lower court to clear Samsung Electronics chairman Jay Y. Lee of all charges in a case related to a 2015 merger of Samsung companies.
Prosecutors are appealing against a February ruling that found Lee not guilty of all charges including accounting fraud and stock manipulation.
Prosecutors had sought a five-year jail term. Lee denied wrongdoing, arguing that he and other executives acted on the belief the merger would benefit shareholders.
Lee was not required to attend Monday’s preparatory hearing at the Seoul High Court. Preparatory hearings are conducted to set up future schedules.
Shim Gi-ho, one of the prosecutors, said the prosecution found the lower court’s decision “difficult to accept” and proposed bringing 11 witnesses to the stand in the appeal.