Samsung heir's trial zeroes in on 5-minute chat with ex-president

Seoul

SOUTH Korean prosecutors pursuing bribery charges against Samsung heir Jay Y Lee zeroed in on a five-minute chat with the country's president as the start of a relationship that put both behind bars.

The landmark trial of South Korea's most powerful business figure focused on Wednesday on what transpired during a tete-a-tete in September 2014. Prosecutors allege that Lee accepted then-president Park Geun Hye's request to support equestrian training for the daughter of a close friend, anticipating that it would help secure government support for business deals. But Lee's lawyers said he couldn't possibly have sought favours from Park during a quick conversation on the sidelines of a public event.