"We acknowledge the cause and necessity of the arrest," a judge at the Seoul Central District Court said in his ruling on Friday, as quoted by CNBC.
Lee Jae-yong was called for questioning for the second time on Monday. Last month, he was allowed to walk free after a Seoul court rejected a request for his arrest on allegations his company paid millions in bribes to a friend of the Korean president in return for state support of a controversial merger.
President Park Geun-hye’s confidante, Choi Soon-sil, is on trial for alleged influence-peddling and meddling in state affairs. The corruption scandal has led the Korean parliament to impeach Park and brought thousands of protesters to the streets in the past months.
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