이재용 삼성전자 회장 '19개 혐의' 모두 무죄…檢, 무리한 기소 논란Court upholds acquittal of Samsung c

[정승남세기영어교육연구회장]

Court upholds acquittal of Samsung chief in 2015 merger case

법원, 2015년 합병 사건에서 삼성 총수 무죄 판결 유지

이재용 삼성전자 회장 '19개 혐의' 모두 무죄…檢, 무리한 기소 논란

부당합병·분식회계 인정 안해

검찰, 1주일 안에 상고 결정해야

법조계 "檢 승소 어려울 것"

General 15:44 February 03, 2025 Yonhap News

Court upholds acquittal of Samsung chief in 2015 merger case

Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong arrives at the Seoul High Court in Seoul on Feb. 3, 2025, to hear the verdict for his trial over the controversial 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates. The appellate court upheld the acquittal of Lee. (Yonhap)

(END)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samsung chief freed from legal risks

Posted : 2025-02-03 16:43 Updated : 2025-02-04 08:18 The Korea Times

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong exits the Seoul High Court in Seocho District, Monday, after the court acquitted Lee from his alleged involvement in the controversial 2015 merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. Yonhap
​
Daunting tasks await Lee in overhauling Samsung Electronics
​
By Nam Hyun-woo
​
Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong was acquitted in a high court ruling over his alleged involvement in the controversial 2015 merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries, which played a critical role in him gaining control of Korea’s largest conglomerate.
​
In the trial, the Seoul High Court judges upheld a district court ruling that cleared Lee of all 19 charges, including breach of trust and violation of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act.
​
Lee was indicted in September 2020 for his alleged involvement in the merger between two Samsung affiliates. Prosecutors suspect that the group committed illegalities to inflate Cheil’s value to benefit Lee, which ultimately helped Lee gain control of Korea’s largest conglomerate from his father.
​
In the district court trial in February last year, the Seoul Central District Court cleared Lee of all 19 charges, interpreting that the merger could not be seen solely as a means for him to secure control of the group. The ruling also found no grounds to conclude that the merger ratio was unfair or caused losses to shareholders.
​
In the appellate trial, the prosecution revised the indictment for the appellate ruling and sought a five-year prison sentence, after reflecting a separate court ruling in August on Samsung Biologics, which was a Cheil subsidiary. At then, the ruling partially acknowledged the financial regulator’s claim that the biotech had altered accounting standards to artificially inflate Cheil’s valuation.
​
However, the Seoul High Court noted that prosecutors’ charges were “not proven enough to rule out reasonable doubts,” adding “criminal punishment cannot be based on speculation and scenarios.” Regarding the accounting practice of Samsung Biologics, the high court also said that “it is hard to conclude that there was intentional accounting fraud,” adding that “financial authorities can impose administrative measures, but this cannot constitute criminal punishment.”
​
While exiting the court, Lee did not respond to reporters’ questions. His legal representative, Kim Yoo-jin, said after the ruling, “Lee hopes to focus on his job on the occasion of the ruling.”
The prosecution can appeal the case to the Supreme Court, but legal experts said that chances are slim for the top court to overturn the high court ruling because the Supreme Court only reviews the legal interpretation of rulings by lower courts, not new facts.
​
Hours after Monday's ruling, the prosecution said in a statement that it will "thoroughly review the high court ruling before deciding whether to file an appeal to the top court."
​

Kim Yoo-jin, center, lawyer for Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, speaks to reporter at the Seoul High Court in Seocho District, Monday, after the court acquitted Lee from his alleged involvement in the controversial 2015 merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. Yonhap
​
The ruling signals that Lee, who has been struggling with legal risks for over 10 years, may now be freed from uncertainties regarding his future and can focus on addressing corporate issues surrounding Samsung.
​
In 2016, Lee was mired in a separate political scandal tied to impeached former President Park Geun-hye, leading to his imprisonment on two separate occasions from 2017 to 2018 and again in 2021. Since 2020, he has faced legal battles related to the merger case, attending over 100 hearings in district and high court trials.
​
Amind Lee’s legal struggles, Samsung has been keeping a low profile in making big investments. After acquiring Harman International in 2016, Samsung has not engaged in any big mergers and acquisitions. In 2017, the group also disbanded its Future Strategy Office, the group's top policy-making body coordinating major affairs among affiliates, and Lee himself resigned from Samsung Electronics’ board membership in 2019.
​
At the same time, Samsung has been facing growing calls that it needs to set up a control tower.
​
Lee has been facing criticism for exercising authority as the head of Samsung Group without bearing the legal responsibility as a board member of Samsung Electronics. Samsung’s Compliance Committee also stated in October that Lee needs to return to the Samsung Electronics’ board, and the group should rebuild its control tower, including the Future Strategy Office.
​
Above all, industry officials say Lee's top priority is addressing the growing doubts on Samsung Electronics’ prowess as one of the world's biggest tech companies.
Once the world’s top memory chip maker, Samsung Electronics’ chip division ended up posting an operating profit of 2.9 trillion won ($1.98 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024, trailing far behind its rival SK hynix with 8.08 trillion won.
​
Its smartphone and home appliance businesses are also backpedaling amid intensifying competition from Chinese rivals, while the company’s business divisions are increasingly separating from each other to undermine cost-competiveness.
​
Despite calls for sweeping changes to the company’s leadership for recovery, Samsung Electronics took a conservative approach in its November leadership reshuffle, which was interpreted as the company’s inevitable choice for stability before Lee’s ruling.
​
“Since the prosecution can appeal the case to the Supreme Court, it is too early to jump into a conclusion that Lee is now free of legal risks,” a conglomerate official said. “As his lawyer said, however, Monday’s ruling provided an opportunity to focus on his job.”

'19개 혐의' 모두 무죄…檢, 무리한 기소 논란

허란/박시온2025. 2. 3. 18:16 한국경제신문

부당합병·분식회계 인정 안해

검찰, 1주일 안에 상고 결정해야

법조계 "檢 승소 어려울 것"

서울고등법원은 3일 2015년 삼성물산-제일모직 부당합병 의혹 사건에서 이재용 삼성전자 회장 등 14명에 대해 검찰이 제기한 부정거래, 부정회계, 업무상배임 등 주요 혐의의 범죄 성립을 모두 인정하지 않았다. 특히 합병 과정에서 주가 조작과 허위정보 공시 등 불법 행위가 있었다는 검찰 주장을 전면 배척했다. 검찰 수사심의위원회의 불기소 권고에도 불구하고 검찰이 강행한 기소가 무리한 것이었다는 비판이 나오는 이유다.

검찰은 2심에서 2000개의 추가 증거와 1500쪽의 의견서를 제출하는 등 유죄 입증에 총력을 기울였으나 결과는 무죄였다. 서울고법 제13형사부(부장판사 백강진, 고법판사 김선희·이인수)는 검찰이 제출한 삼성바이오에피스·삼성바이오로직스 서버 등 주요 증거에 대해 “압수·수색 과정에서 탐색·선별 절차의 존재 및 실질적인 참여권 보장이 있었다고 보기 어렵다”며 증거 능력을 인정하지 않았다.

검찰이 공소장을 변경해가며 다툰 2015회계연도 로직스 회계분식 의혹도 받아들여지지 않았다. 검찰은 지난해 8월 행정법원 판결을 근거로 “2015년 에피스에 대한 지배력 상실 관련 의견을 거짓으로 기재했다”고 주장했으나, 재판부는 “에피스 콜옵션 관련 공시가 다소 미흡했던 점은 인정되나 회계처리가 재량을 벗어났다고 단정할 수 없다”고 판단했다.

업무상 배임과 위증 혐의에 관해서도 합병 필요성, 합병비율 등에 관한 배임이 인정되지 않고 공모나 재산상 손해도 인정되지 않는다고 봤다.

재판부는 두 회사의 합병이 이 회장의 경영권 승계와 지배력 강화를 위해 부당하게 이뤄졌다는 검찰의 주장도 수용하지 않았다. 재판부는 “삼성물산 주가가 부당하게 왜곡되거나 억눌려 있었다고 보기 어렵다”고 밝혔다.

이번 판결로 검찰은 ‘무리한 기소’라는 비판을 피할 수 없게 됐다. 검찰은 2020년 6월 수심위의 불기소 권고에도 불구하고 같은 해 9월 이 사건을 재판에 넘겼다. 검찰이 대법원 상고를 검토 중인 가운데 ‘기계적 공소 유지’라는 지적이 제기된다.

법조계에서는 “대법원은 법리 해석의 적절성만을 판단하는 만큼 1·2심에서 증거를 제시하지 못한 검찰이 승소하기 어려울 것”이라는 관측이 나온다. 이병태 KAIST 경영대 교수는 “검찰이 무리한 기소로 삼성그룹은 물론 국가 경제에 막대한 피해를 줬다”고 지적했다. 김유진 김앤장 변호사 등 이 회장 변호인단은 “이번 판결을 계기로 이제는 피고인들이 본연의 업무에 전념할 수 있게 되기를 희망한다”고 강조했다.

허란/박시온 기자 why@hankyung.com

21세기 영어교육연구회 / ㈜ 파우스트 칼리지

전 화 : (02)386-4802 / (02)384-3348

이메일 : faustcollege@naver.com / ceta211@naver.com

Cafe : http://cafe.daum.net/21ceta 21세기 영어교육연구회

Band : http://band.us/@ceta21 21세기 영어교육연구회

Blog : http://blog.naver.com/ceta211 21세기 영어교육연구회

Web-site : www.faustcollege.com (주)파우스트 칼리지