S Korean investigators to again summon Samsung Heir Jay Y Lee

SEOUL: A special prosecutor will again summon Samsung Group's Jay Y Lee over allegations including bribery and embezzlement, potentially dealing another blow to South Korea's biggest business empire after a court rejected its request to issue an arrest warrant last month.

Lee, the de facto head of the Samsung Group and vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co, will be summoned Monday morning, along with two other executives including Samsung Electronics President Park Sang-jin, Lee Kyu-chul, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, told reporters on Sunday.

Billionaire Lee, 48, is accused of participating in payments that Samsung made to a close friend of South Korean President Park Geunhye in exchange for government support in the company's succession planning. A Seoul court rejected prosecutors' requests to arrest Lee on January 19, saying there wasn't enough evidence to keep Lee in jail based on the facts presented about alleged payments and other charges.

Prosecutors will decide whether to again seek an arrest warrant for Lee by next week, after collecting additional information from Monday's investigation, the prosecution spokesman said. A prolonged investigation into the latest political scandal could potentially derail succession plans at Samsung.