Former Samsung executive, Lee Jae-yong, has been released from jail after a South Korean court suspended his sentence on Monday. Jack Barton has more.

JACK BARTON SEOUL Lee Jae-yong, the heir apparent of South Korea's largest conglomerate was sentenced to five years in prison in August 2017 for handing over more than eight million dollars in bribes to former president Park Geun-hye and her close friend Choi-soon-sil. The bribes were allegedly made in return for government backing of a merger that would have cemented Lee's position as the head of Samsung. At the time the prosecution had asked for a 12-year sentence and some criticized the ruling as too lenient. All along Lee has pleaded innocent saying he was pressured by the former president to hand over money, but that he had not tried to solicit the government's blessing of a transfer of power within the company. On Monday and appeals court judge ruled that while Lee was guilty of providing kickbacks to the former president's friend Choi soon-sil and Choi's daughter but that there was no evidence the bribes were intended as a way for Lee to get government backing in his push to take over the top job at Samsung.

The judge reduced the initial five-year sentence to two and a half year jail and four-year probation, which given time already served Lee will be released on February 17. Lee's verdict is expected to affect the final ruling in the corruption trial of former president Park Geun-hye who has been in detention since April last year following large street demonstrations that led to her impeachment and removal from office. Jack Barton, CGTN, Seoul.