Jay Y. Lee, co-vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, center, sits in a car as he leaves the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday, Feb, 16, 2017.

Samsung Group chief Jay Y. Lee was arrested on Friday, a South Korean court said, over his alleged role in a corruption scandal that led parliament to impeach President Park Geun-hye.



The Seoul Central District Court also rejected a request to issue an arrest warrant for Samsung Electronics President Park Sang-jin, who also heads the Korea Equestrian Federation.



The 48-year-old Lee, Samsung's vice chairman, was taken into custody at the Seoul Detention Center, where he had awaited the court's decision following a day-long closed-door hearing that ended on Thursday evening.



The same court rejected a request from prosecutors last month to arrest Lee. On Tuesday, the special prosecutor's office had again requested a warrant to arrest Lee on bribery and other

charges again.

