Court retracts decision to release Taekwang Group chairman on bail SEOUL , Dec . 14 ( Yonhap ) -- A Seoul appellate court on Friday decided to retract an earlier decision to release Taekwang Group Chairman Lee Ho - jin on bail , who was convicted of embezzlement and other business malpractices . The Seoul High Court on Friday ordered him be remanded in custody . Lee was sentenced to a 3 1 / 2 year prison term for siphoning off 20 . 6 billion won ( US $ 18 . 2 million ) of company funds by doctoring output figures in a textile business . He was also found guilty of evading some 560 million won in taxes . About two months into the presentencing detention , Lee was released on bail as the court approved his request for the suspension of confinement on grounds of health problems . Lee said he suffered from liver cancer and aneurysms . But speculation has mounted in recent months that Lee ' s actually in good health and may have lied to be released from detention . Some local media reported on Lee smoking and drinking at private dinners . He was also spotted eating some spicy food at an outdoor snack cart . Civic groups have called on the court to reconsider the granting of his bail . The Supreme Court ordered a retrial of his case in late October , citing procedural errors regarding the tax evasion charges . Lee Ho - jin , chairman of Taekwang Group , is shown in this photo filed on Dec . 12 , 2018 . ( Yonhap ) elly @ yna . co . kr ( END )