South Korea: Samsung offices raided in corruption probe

Electronics giant suspected of secretly funding sports activities of daughter of president's confidante Choi Soon-sil.

Samsung is suspected of having transferred $3.1m to a company in Germany [EPA]

South Korean prosecutors investigating a confidante of President Park Geun-hye for corruption have searched the offices of Samsung, according to local media.

Samsung, the world's largest manufacturer of smartphones, televisions and memory chips, is suspected of having secretly funded the sporting activities of the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, Park's friend, it was reported on Tuesday.

Samsung, which is already reeling from the disaster surrounding its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, confirmed that its offices had been raided but gave no further details.

The company is suspected of having transferred $3.1m to a company owned by Choi in Germany.

The money was allegedly used to pay for daughter's training as a dressage rider.