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Samsung may reach a pivotal turning point this week as the Supreme Court is set to deliver its verdict on July 17 in the high-profile case involving Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong. The case concerns alleged irregularities in the 2015 merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries, as well as accounting fraud allegations at Samsung Biologics.

A not-guilty verdict would mark a clean break from nearly a decade of legal uncertainty and could accelerate Samsung's push into strategic investments and emerging businesses under Lee’s leadership.

Lee returned to Seoul on July 14 after attending the annual Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho — often dubbed an unofficial summit of global media and tech CEOs. It was his first time attending in seven years. Upon arrival, Lee said only, “I’m tired from many meetings,” and when asked about Samsung’s second-half outlook, he replied, “I’ll do my best.”

Since early this year, Lee has also made trips to China and Japan, signaling a reactivation of Samsung’s global business diplomacy.

Lee has been under continuous legal pressure since 2015 due to inheritance-related investigations and his conviction in the influence-peddling scandal tied to former President Park Geun-hye. Despite serving time and later receiving a presidential pardon, his leadership at Samsung has been constrained, slowing strategic decision-making and investment during a period of rising global uncertainty.

Samsung’s performance has reflected this strain. The company barely surpassed ₩30 trillion in operating profit last year, and its second-quarter operating profit of ₩4.6 trillion this year represents a 55.9% year-on-year drop — a major earnings shock.

The semiconductor division, in particular, has struggled. Samsung lost its edge to SK hynix in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) technology, suffered delays in customer qualification with NVIDIA, and continues to lag behind Taiwan’s TSMC in foundry services. Many in the industry attribute these setbacks to strategic indecision stemming from the leadership vacuum.

Despite the headwinds, Samsung has recently ramped up its investment drive. In May, it acquired Europe’s largest HVAC company, Sweden-based Frigogroup, for approximately ₩2.4 trillion. Earlier this month, it also bought U.S. healthcare platform company Zelz, signaling an aggressive push into the connected health sector. The conglomerate is also actively investing in robotics, AI semiconductors, and automotive electronics.

Industry analysts see these moves as part of a long-term strategy that Lee has been quietly building since taking the helm. A Supreme Court decision upholding earlier acquittals would likely create a more stable environment for Samsung to fully focus on future growth initiatives.

A business community official noted, “With global uncertainties such as trade friction, China’s catch-up, AI transformation, and stricter regulations, a company like Samsung can’t afford additional legal distractions. Unless the legal risk is resolved, it’s difficult to steer the company with full focus.” The source added, “If the ruling is not in Lee’s favor, internal morale will inevitably take a hit. The removal of these shackles is critical to clearing uncertainty.”

The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its final ruling at 11:15 a.m. on July 17. Both the lower and appellate courts have found Lee not guilty on all charges, and many expect the Supreme Court to uphold those decisions. A final acquittal would free Lee from criminal liability for the first time in nearly nine years since the presidential scandal.