South Korea prosecutor says Samsung's Lee paid bribes to Park's friend

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's special prosecutor's office said on Monday that Samsung Group leader Jay Y. Lee had paid bribes totaling 43 billion won ($36.42 million) to Choi Soon-sil, the friend of President Park Geun-hye at the center of an escalating corruption scandal. The prosecutor's office said on Monday it will seek a warrant to arrest Lee on charges of bribery and embezzlement. Lee Kyu-chul, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, told journalists that arrest warrants would not be sought for three other Samsung executives questioned during the investigation. ($1 = 1,180.5300 won) (Reporting by Se Young Lee; Writing by Christine Kim; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)