Nike Stock Jumps After Apple CEO Tim Cook Buys $2.9M Worth of Shares 
Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge in First Amendment Ruling 
South Korean Court Clears Korea Zinc’s $7.4 Billion U.S. Smelter Project, Shares Surge 
Boeing Wins $2.04B U.S. Air Force Contract for B-52 Engine Replacement Program 
Mexico Antitrust Review of Viva Aerobus–Volaris Deal Signals Growth for Airline Sector 
AstraZeneca’s LATIFY Phase III Trial of Ceralasertib Misses Primary Endpoint in Lung Cancer Study 
ByteDance Plans Massive AI Investment in 2026 to Close Gap With U.S. Tech Giants 
Sanofi to Acquire Dynavax in $2.2 Billion Deal to Strengthen Vaccines Portfolio 
DOJ Reaches Settlement With Blackstone’s LivCor Over Alleged Rent Price-Fixing 
Niigata Set to Approve Restart of Japan’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant in Major Energy Shift 
GLP-1 Weight Loss Pills Set to Reshape Food and Fast-Food Industry in 2025 
Moore Threads Unveils New GPUs, Fuels Optimism Around China’s AI Chip Ambitions 
California Regulator Probes Waymo Robotaxi Stalls During San Francisco Power Outage 
John Carreyrou Sues Major AI Firms Over Alleged Copyrighted Book Use in AI Training 
Nvidia to Acquire Groq in $20 Billion Deal to Boost AI Chip Dominance 
BlackRock-Backed Global Ports Deal Faces Uncertainty Amid Cosco Demands 
Waymo Plans Safety and Emergency Response Upgrades After San Francisco Robotaxi Disruptions 
Some groups want Lee Jae Yong to be pardoned by the South Korean government because they think as the Samsung chief, he will be able to help solve some of the pressing issues in the tech world, especially about chip shortage.
Business leaders’ submit letter for pardon recommendation
On April 26, a group of business leaders submitted a letter to the Blue House in an effort to free the jailed Samsung heir. The petition was said to have been brought to the president’s office by the people led by CJ Group’s chief, Sohn Kyung Shik.
In their letter, the businessmen wrote, "With our economy going through tough times and the competition for the global semiconductor market heating up, the pardon of Vice Chairman Lee is increasingly necessary."
The submission of the petition early this week was in the planning since the previous week. At that time, the group was still gathering to unite and work together so Lee Jae Yong may be pardoned and quickly get back to his work as the Samsung head.
Response to the petition
The petition finally reached the hands of the officials at the Blue House, but it was reported that President Moon Jae In may not issue the pardon that the business leaders were requesting for Lee Jae Yong.
As per The Korea Herald, this is because the president has maintained a prudent approach to issuing pardons, and there is no exception even for the Samsung vice chairman who needs to complete a two and a half years jail sentence for bribery.
“We never discussed the issue and have no plans to do so for now,” a Cheong Wa Dae official reportedly told the press on Tuesday after the petition was filed.
It was said that former leaders of South Korea usually pardons chaebol owners because of their huge roles in boosting the country’s economy. Other times, they may also be involved in high-profile talks such as hosting an important event like the Olympics, and in these instances, they are granted clemency.
It was explained that Lee Jae Yong’s case is different because it involves serious cases of embezzlement, breach of trust, and bribery. Moreover, Moon vowed not to abuse his clemency power for grave offenses, as mentioned. Meanwhile, the president has not pardoned anyone yet so far.
