Independent panel to meet over Samsung heir Lee's illegal propofol use allegations

SEOUL, March 25 (Yonhap) -- An independent panel of experts will meet at the Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO) over alleged illegal use of anesthetics by Lee Jae-yong, the imprisoned de facto leader of Samsung Group, legal sources said Thursday.

The meeting to be held Friday comes after the prosecution accepted Lee's earlier request to convene a panel of 15 experts with various backgrounds to review whether the case warrants an official investigation.

Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., has been under investigation for alleged illegal use of propofol, an anesthetic, since a complaint was filed against him with the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission early last year. The case has been referred to the SPO.

Claiming that propofol shots were only for medical purposes, Lee requested the case to be reviewed by an independent committee to see whether the prosecution's investigation is legitimate.

Earlier this month, a similar accusation was made against him. The Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency, which has been looking into the claim, is said to have visited Lee, who is imprisoned at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, south of the capital, to take a hair sample from him for drug testing.

Lee is currently serving a 2 1/2-year prison term for bribing impeached former President Park Geun-hye and her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil to win government support for a smooth father-to-son transfer of managerial power at Samsung.

The prosecution introduced the outside review system in 2018 to enhance the neutrality and fairness of cases that are of great public interest.

The external panel can recommend whether the prosecution should or should not indict suspects of interest, though it is not legally binding.

Meanwhile, the 52-year-old tycoon underwent emergency surgery Friday to treat appendicitis.

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
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