The Seoul High Court upheld on February 3 a lower court's ruling dismissing all the charges from a case involving a $8-billion, 2015 merger between two Samsung affiliates that prosecutors said was designed to cement Lee's control of the tech giant.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean appeals court on Monday upheld a lower court’s ruling that acquitted Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong of financial criminal charges over a contentious merger between Samsung affiliates that cemented his grip over the biggest South Korean company.

South Korean court acquits Samsung CEO of charges related to merger of Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T - Anadolu Ajansı