The heir of the South Korean Samsung group, Lee Jae-yong , was convicted by the Central District Court of Seoul for illegal use of drugs, in particular propofol, a powerful anesthetic: he was fined 70 million won (approx. 52 thousand euros).

The court also ordered a further confiscation of 17 million won (equal to 13 thousand euros) for violations of the law on drug control, accepting in full the requests and the accusatory system of the prosecutor's office.

In June, prosecutors indicted the electronics giant's vice president of using propofol off medical treatment at a plastic surgery clinic in Seoul on a total of 41 occasions between January 2015 and May 2020.

Under South Korean law, the recipient of a controlled substance that is illegally administered is punishable, as are those who have allowed it.

However, Lee's lawyer said that the use of propofol was part of hospital treatment and therefore not illegal. The clinic staff who administered it are now on trial in a separate proceeding and denied any wrongdoing.

Lee had already served a prison sentence as he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by the Seoul High Court on January 18 in a retrial of a corruption case involving former President of the Republic of Korea, Park Geun- hye . In August, however, he was released for presidential intervention, the Office of which had urged public understanding, citing the hope of helping the country to produce "semiconductors and vaccines".

After his release, Samsung announced that it would invest 240 trillion won (177 billion euros) over the next three years in fields such as chips and biopharmaceuticals.

Lee is still on trial accused of stock price manipulation and accounting fraud related to the eight billion dollar merger of two Samsung companies in 2015, through which he consolidated his shareholding and control over the group thanks to the involvement of funds. pension and public companies.

(Unioneonline / F)

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