Prosecutors are seeking a nine-year prison term for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong in a bribery scandal involving jailed former President Park Geun-hye. 

Lee was indicted on bribery charges back in 2017 after Samsung reportedly gave some 30 billion won to the former president and her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil in return for help in Lee's management succession at Samsung Group.

The independent counsel led by Park Young-soo requested the prison term during the final hearing at Seoul High Court on Wednesday, accusing Samsung of actively exercising its influence in the corruption case and seeking to avoid responsibility for the alleged wrongdoings. 

The independent counsel originally sought a 12-year sentence for Lee. But it lowered the request after some of the charges against him were dismissed by the Supreme Court. 

The 52-year-old scion was sentenced to five years in prison in his first trial, which was reduced to two years by an appellate court. But the Supreme Court acknowledged additional bribery charges and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court.