SEOUL: A South Korean appeals court on Monday suspended a jail sentence handed down to Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee, setting him free after a year’s detention amid a corruption scandal that brought down the former president.
Seoul High Court jailed Lee for two and a half years, reducing the original term by half, and suspended the sentence for charges including bribery and embezzlement, meaning he does not have to serve time.
Lee, 49, heir to one of the world’s biggest corporate empires, had been detained since last February.
President Park Geun-hye was dismissed in March after being impeached in a case that brought scrutiny to the nature of the ties between South Korea’s chaebols — big family-owned corporate groups — and its political leaders.
Park, who denies wrongdoing, is standing trial accused of bribery, abuse of power and coercion.
A lower court in August convicted Lee for bribing Park for help in strengthening his control of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of the country’s largest conglomerate and one of the world’s biggest technology companies, as well as embezzlement and other charges.
The court said Samsung’s financial support for entities backed by a friend of Park’s, Choi Soon-sil, constituted bribery, including 7.2 billion won ($6.4 million) to sponsor the equestrian career of Choi’s daughter.
Presiding senior judge Cheong Hyung-sik on Monday called the nature of Lee’s involvement in Samsung’s monetary support for Choi a “passive compliance to political power.”
Prosecutors and Samsung did not have an immediate comment. Lee, whose face was noticeably worn, did not show any emotion when the ruling was announced.
Prosecutors had sought a 12-year jail term for Lee. The ruling is expected to be appealed again to the Supreme Court, legal experts said.
With the end of his year-long detention, which according to local media he adjusted to with physical workouts and reading books, Lee could continue with his existing roles including director of Samsung Electronics.
However he has been found guilty of some lesser charges and is prohibited from traveling outside South Korea without a judge’s approval, according to law firm Cho & Partners.
The lower court ruling in August had said while Lee never asked for President Park’s help directly, the fact that a 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates did help cement Lee’s control over Samsung Electronics implied he was asking for the president’s help to strengthen his control of the firm.
His lawyers had strongly challenged this logic and said that the merger was done for business reasons.
Some criminal lawyers had expected Lee to be found innocent of most of the charges, as much of the evidence at the trial has been circumstantial.
But although he was set free from detention by the appeals court, the stigma may stick, lawyers say.
“Public opinion will get riled up and people will keep thinking there was some quid pro quo between Samsung’s Lee and the president,” Lee Jung-jae, a lawyer at law firm Jung said.
Samsung scion walks free as South Korean appeals court suspends jail term
Samsung scion walks free as South Korean appeals court suspends jail term
Major airlines suspend, reroute flights amid US-Israel strikes on Iran
- Saudia says decision taken in line with aviation safety and security standards
- Emirates said it temporarily suspended it's operations out of Dubai
RIYADH: Major international airlines across the Middle East and South Asia have suspended, canceled or rerouted flights following ongoing US-Israel attacks on Iran and the resulting airspace closures, according to official statements issued via X.
Saudia said in an official statement that it had canceled a number of flights due to developments in the region and the closure of airspace.
The airline said the decision was taken in line with aviation safety and security standards, noting that its Emergency Coordination Center is closely monitoring developments with relevant authorities.
Saudia urged passengers to verify the status of their flights before heading to the airport and said guests would be notified of updates through the contact details associated with their bookings.
The carrier added that further information would be announced in a subsequent statement if available.
بيان رسمي من #الخطوط_السعودية pic.twitter.com/CHfjKj9yLX
— Saudia Group | مجموعة السعودية (@SaudiaGroup) February 28, 2026
Air Arabia said its flights were experiencing cancellations, delays or rerouting as a result of the evolving situation and airspace closures.
The airline advised passengers to check the status of their flights before traveling to the airport by visiting its website or contacting its call center.
Customers booked on affected flights will be notified directly, the airline said, adding that further updates would be provided as the situation develops.
Air India announced a broader suspension, stating that “in view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended.”
The airline said it remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety for passengers and crew and will continue to assess the safety and security environment for flight operations, adjusting services proactively as required.
Air India said its teams would extend necessary support to passengers and advised customers to check flight status online or contact its 24/7 call center for assistance.
#TravelAdvisory
— Air India (@airindia) February 28, 2026
In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety for our passengers and crew. We will continue to…
All flight operations at Dubai International and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International are suspended until further notice, according to a post by Dubai Media Office on X.
Dubai-based Emirates reported that regional airspace closures had caused disruption to several of its flights and that the airline had temporarily suspended its operations from its hub Dubai.
The airline said it is actively monitoring the situation, engaging with relevant authorities and adjusting operations in line with the latest developments.
The carrier apologized to affected customers and said it is assisting them with rebooking, refunds or alternative travel arrangements, reiterating that the safety and security of passengers and crew remain its highest priority.
Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended operations to and from Dubai.
— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) February 28, 2026
Emirates urges customers to check https://t.co/Ucm3UswfVh and https://t.co/yehFUeWZQq for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport.
We are actively monitoring… pic.twitter.com/SLDC7iNaUN
Qatar Airways confirmed a temporary suspension of flights to and from Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
The airline said it is working closely with government stakeholders and relevant authorities to support impacted passengers and will resume operations once the airspace reopens.
It warned that delays are anticipated when usual operations resume and said additional ground staff have been deployed at Hamad International Airport and other key airports to assist passengers.
Temporary Suspension of Qatar Airways Flights due to Qatari Airspace Closure
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) February 28, 2026
Qatar Airways Group confirms the temporary suspension of its flights to, and from, Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
The airline is working closely with government stakeholders and the…
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that British Airways had canceled flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain, adding to the list of carriers adjusting operations.
Across their statements, airlines consistently cited airspace closures and safety considerations as the primary reasons for suspensions and disruptions, while urging passengers to monitor official channels for updates as the situation continues to evolve.
