Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong has been questioned at the prosecutor’s office in Seoul as a suspect in South Korea’s biggest political corruption scandal, BBC reported.
The firm is accused of giving donations to several non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a confidante of President Park Geun-hye. The donations were allegedly made in exchange for political support of a controversial merger.
The scandal has led to President Park being impeached last December.
Earlier this week two other Samsung executives were interviewed by the special prosecutors but were treated as witnesses rather than suspects.
At the parliamentary hearing in December, Samsung admitted giving a total of 20.4bn won (£16m; $17.46m) to the two foundations but denied seeking favours.
Mr. Lee also confirmed the firm gave a horse and money to help the equestrian career of Ms. Choi’s daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, something he said he now regretted.
Mr. Lee is currently vice-chairman of Samsung Electronics. But since his father, Lee Kun-hee, suffered a heart attack in 2014, he is considered de facto boss of the entire Samsung Group conglomerate.