Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong is facing fresh charges of over his role in a 2015 merger deal at the tech giant.

South Korean prosecutors accused Lee, 52, of using stock and accounting fraud to try to gain control of the Samsung Group – claims Mr Lee denies.

In 2017, Lee was found guilty of separate charges over the deal including bribery, but his five-year prison sentence was later suspended.

He is unlikely to be held in custody as he awaits trial on the new charges.

The prosecution, however, disregarded a recommendation from a citizen’s panel that Lee should not be charged.

In June, state prosecutors sought to arrest Lee for the second time over the controversial merger in 2015 of two Samsung businesses, Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries.

It follows his 2017 conviction over the merger, which sparked a political and business scandal in South Korea – including the resignation and conviction of former President Park Geun-hye.

Back then, Lee was found guilty of using Samsung to pay 43bn won ($35.7m; £28.1m) to two non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a friend of Ms Park, in exchange for political support.

Read more at BBC News

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