The Supreme Court’s verdict permanently removes a long-running legal distraction for Lee as Samsung plays catch-up in a global race to develop cutting-edge AI chips.

The Supreme Court upheld an appeals court’s ruling dismissing all the charges in the case involving the merger a decade ago between two Samsung affiliates, Samsung and Cheil Industries, which prosecutors said was designed to cement Lee’s control of the tech giant.

A lower court last year had also cleared Lee of the charges.

The Supreme Court ruling was widely expected, but comes at a critical moment for Lee, who has faced mounting questions about his ability to lead Samsung Electronics – the world’s top memory chip and smartphone maker – as it grapples with growing competition and playing catch-up in artificial intelligence chips.

For nearly a decade, Lee has faced legal challenges, including those from the merger that paved the way for his succession after his father, Lee Kun-hee, had a heart attack in 2014 that left him in a coma.