Judges are to re-examine evidence before deciding whether to jail Hyundai Motor chairman Chung Mong-Koo over a multi-million dollar slush fund.
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.
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By GlobalDataChung, 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.