Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee Passes Away After Illness at Age 78 (Update)

Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyewon Kim, Changhwan Lee] Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, has passed away. He was 78 years old.

According to the business community on the 25th, Chairman Lee died after a long battle with illness.

Born in 1942, the late chairman was hospitalized on May 10, 2014, due to acute myocardial infarction and passed away after six years of illness.

Lee Kun-hee, son of Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul, led Samsung Group for about 27 years from his succession in 1987 until his hospitalization in 2014.

After taking over Samsung's management, he is credited with transforming Samsung into a global company through new businesses such as semiconductors, smartphones, and biotechnology.

His surviving family includes his wife Hong Ra-hee, former director of the Samsung Museum of Art Leeum, his son Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics, his daughter Lee Boo-jin, President of Hotel Shilla, and Lee Seo-hyun, Chairwoman of the Samsung Welfare Foundation.