Samsung Chairman Lee's trial verdict delayed to Feb. 5

SEOUL -- A South Korean court has postponed its ruling in a case involving Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong to early next month, as prosecutors seek a five-year jail term for the tycoon over stock price manipulation and accounting fraud allegations.

The Seoul District Court said on Monday that the head judge in charge of Lee's case changed the date to Feb. 5 without explaining the reason for the decision. The ruling had been scheduled for Friday.