Investigators probing a bribery scandal allegedly involving South Korea's largest group Samsung raided the private home of its chairman Lee Kun-Hee today, according to the Yonhap news agency.
Yonhap said the unprecedented search of Lee's luxury residence in the central Seoul district of Hannamdong lasted for four and a half hours. A Samsung spokesman said he was unaware of the raid.
The prosecutors had searched another nearby house owned by Lee known as Seungjiwon, which houses a private office and is also used to host VIP guests.
An independent inquiry began last week into claims by Samsung's former chief lawyer that the group had created a multi-million-dollar slush fund to bribe prosecutors, government officials and journalists.
The team also raided the city centre headquarters of the global group today.
