South Korean court dismisses request to arrest Samsung chief

A South Korean court on Thursday rejected a request for a warrant to arrest the head of the Samsung Group, Jay Y. Lee, over his alleged role in a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

The decision by the Seoul Central District Court is likely to come as a major relief for the country's largest conglomerate and for Lee, who has tried to fill the vacuum in the group's leadership since his father was incapacitated by a heart attack in 2014.

The special prosecutor's office on Monday said it would seek a warrant to arrest Lee on suspicion of bribery, embezzlement and perjury.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Kevin Liffey)