Prosecution lawyers say Lee's alleged bribery part of a plan to take over the chairmanship of Samsung from his father.
The billionaire heir to South Korean tech giant Samsung Jay Y Lee is back in court, facing a retrial on corruption charges that landed him in prison in 2017.
Prosecutors appealed the case after he served just six months of a five-year sentence.
The case has wide repercussions for South Korea's economy as Samsung represents 20 percent of its exports.
But it also goes to the heart of long-standing business practices that favour powerful family companies.
Al Jazeera's Rob McBride reports from Seoul.
Prosecutors appealed the case after he served just six months of a five-year sentence.
The case has wide repercussions for South Korea's economy as Samsung represents 20 percent of its exports.
But it also goes to the heart of long-standing business practices that favour powerful family companies.
Al Jazeera's Rob McBride reports from Seoul.