Lee's arrest was approved by the Seoul Central District Court after the special prosecutors widened their investigation into his alleged bribery to include charges of hiding criminal proceeds and violating the law on transferring assets abroad. Their first request for his arrest was rejected by the court last month.

Prosecutors suspect Lee offered the bribes to Choi in exchange for the government's backing of a merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015, which was seen as crucial to his taking over control of the group.

Lee's arrest is seen as a boost to special prosecutors' efforts to directly interrogate the president over her alleged involvement, although she has denied all charges and her lawyers made clear that the arrest has nothing to do with the ongoing impeachment trial.

Park was impeached in December for allegedly letting Choi meddle in state affairs and colluding with her to extort money from conglomerates. She currently awaits the Constitutional Court's decision on whether to oust or reinstate her.

Lee is the first chief of Samsung to be detained in a criminal probe. The spokesman said the prosecutors are likely to indict him near the end of their mandate on Feb. 28. (Yonhap)