Major industrial firms are so intertwined with power in South Korea that citizens joke they live in the "Republic of Samsung". When Lee Jae-Yong emerged from a marathon 22-hour questioning session last week, his taut, fixed hint of a smile gave nothing away, seemingly characteristic of the electronics giant's opaque leadership. "There is this widespread perception that the Lee family is above the rule of law," said Shim Jung-Taik, an author of several books on Samsung and its corporate culture.
