Chips ahoy!
Lee Jae-yong, the Samsung heir who was convicted of political bribery, has been released from his South Korean prison on parole. This comes, in part, following pressure from the US Chamber of Commerce.
But pressure to free Jay Y Lee came from the US Chamber of Commerce alongside Samsung. American businesses argued that his release was vital to help combat a shortfall of computer chips. Samsung is currently mulling multi-billion dollar investments in semiconductor facilities in the US.
Laura Bicker, Seoul correspondent, BBC News
What do they expect him to do? Make the bloody things himself?
All of which reminds me of an incident during my time at MegaCorpUSA. An issues manager importantly informed a colleague that he was importantly flying to South Africa on important business. A ship had run aground and spilt its cargo of plastic bags on a beach. To which my colleague retorted: And what are you going to do? Pick 'em up?