Samsung heir's release raises hackles along with hopes

Seoul

SAMSUNG Group heir Jay Y Lee's release from jail on bribery charges has some in South Korea hoping for new investments and jobs from the massive conglomerate, despite ongoing concerns over the cosy ties between government and business leaders.

Dubbed the "Republic of Samsung", the company's businesses reach deep into many parts of South Koreans' lives, and are intertwined with thousands of small and medium-sized subcontractors and start-ups.

After a year in detention, the heir to South Korea's largest business empire walked free on Monday as an appeals court suspended his jail term for bribery in a corruption s…