Judges are to re-examine evidence before deciding whether to jail Hyundai Motor chairman Chung Mong-Koo over a multi-million dollar slush fund.
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The final appeal hearing in Seoul was adjourned for two weeks, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.
“Further explanation is needed on some materials of the evidence,” Senior Judge Lee Jae-Hong reportedly said without elaborating.
AFP said the local Yonhap news agency quoted sources as saying judges want an explanation of how the slush fund was spent.
A lower court in February sentenced Chung to three years in jail for breach of trust and embezzling 90bn won ($US96m) in company funds through fraudulent accounting, the report added.
Chung, currently free on bail, has appealed the ruling and reportedly has promised to donate about $1bn to charity, apparently hoping such a gesture will mitigate his punishment.
According to AFP, prosecutors accused the Chung family of raising millions of dollars for a slush fund through a Hyundai Motor unit to bribe government officials, politicians and bankers in return for business favours.
Chung has pleaded for a second chance and said he was not directly involved in the embezzlement of company funds, Agence France Presse added.
