Samsung Electronics vice-chairperson Jay Y Lee, convicted of bribery and embezzlement, walked out of prison on parole on Friday, with South Korea's president calling on the public for understanding over his controversial release.

Broad support for his parole grew amid anxiety that major strategic decisions are not being made at the world's biggest memory chip and smartphone manufacturer without him. President Moon Jae-in's office said the decision to release Lee was in the national interest...