SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s top court Thursday upheld the acquittal of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong on financial criminal charges, ending years of legal disputes over the 2015 merger between Samsung affiliates that solidified his control over the company.
In 2024, the Seoul Central District Court acquitted Lee of charges like stock price manipulation and accounting fraud by ruling that prosecutors failed to sufficiently prove the merger was unlawfully conducted with an aim to strengthen Lee’s control over Samsung.
The Seoul High Court upheld the district court’s ruling in February, and the Supreme Court dismissed prosecutors’ appeal of the high court’s decision Thursday. Its ruling is final and cannot be appealed.
Samsung’s lawyers said in a statement that they “sincerely thank” the Supreme Court for “wisely” ruling on the case. They said the ruling confirmed the 2015 merger was legitimate.
Lee, a third-generation corporate heir who was officially