Samsung chief avoids arrest in South Korean corruption scandal

On Thursday, South Korean judges denied a request by prosecutors to arrest Lee Jae-yong, the vice chairman of Samsung Group and acting head of the company, over accusations of bribery, embezzlement, and perjury. Lee was accused of giving multimillion-dollar bribes to Choi Soon-sil, a friend of the South Korean President, in exchange for the approval of a 2015 merger between two Samsung Group affiliates, Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T.