[Chairman Lee Kun-hee Passes Away] "A Great Star Has Fallen" Condolence Line Forms from Day One (Comprehensive)

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is entering the funeral hall at Samsung Seoul Hospital in Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, where the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee's resting place has been set up, together with his son Lee Ji-ho and daughter Lee Won-joo on the 25th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Dongwoo Lee, Gimin Lee, Changhwan Lee] Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung Group, passed away on the 25th, and a continuous stream of condolences from family members as well as political and business circles is ongoing.

Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics and son of Chairman Lee, who was reported to have been by his father's side at the time of death, arrived at the Samsung Seoul Hospital funeral hall with his two children at around 4:57 PM, before the condolence room was set up.

Vice Chairman Lee attracted attention by driving the Hyundai Motor Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) Palisade himself to the funeral hall.

Dressed in a black suit and black tie, Vice Chairman Lee entered the funeral hall with a solemn expression and went down to the basement where the condolence room was prepared. Besides him, the widow Mrs. Hong Ra-hee and the deceased’s children Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun also arrived and stayed at the condolence room.

At around 7:25 PM, Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min and Blue House Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs Lee Ho-seung arrived at the funeral hall and left about 10 minutes later at 7:35 PM.

When asked if they delivered a message from President Moon Jae-in, Chief of Staff Noh said, "I conveyed the President’s words to the bereaved family," but did not specify what the message was.

Earlier, CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun visited the condolence room at around 3:40 PM with his wife Mrs. Kim Hee-jae, CJ ENM Executive Director Lee Kyung-hoo, and CJ CheilJedang Manager Lee Sun-ho and his spouse.

Chairman Lee Jae-hyun mourned, saying, "It is heartbreaking that my proud uncle has passed away early. He was a great man who left a significant legacy in the national economy, loved his family deeply, and led the large family well. To me, he was a proud uncle."

He stayed at the condolence room for an hour and a half, comforting the bereaved family. He added, "I am deeply saddened and heartbroken. I pray that he rests peacefully in heaven."

Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Chairman Chung Mong-yoon, who visited the condolence room, paid tribute by calling him "a great pillar of our country's business community," and HDC Chairman Chung Mong-kyu said, "I pray for the deceased’s happiness in the afterlife."

Floral wreaths from political and business circles continued to arrive at the funeral hall to console Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s final journey.

From the business community, wreaths were sent by POSCO Chairman Choi Jeong-woo, Sejung Chairman Cheon Shin-il, Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin, Doosan Chairman Park Jeong-won, Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon, KCC CEO and Chairman Chung Mong-jin, and Hanwha Chairman Kim Seung-yeon.

From the political sphere, wreaths entered the funeral hall from Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo, followed by National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, and People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in.

Samsung Electronics notified its employees of Chairman Lee’s obituary via text messages and emails. An online memorial hall set up on the internal intranet offered condolences for his final journey.

Chairman Lee passed away at 3:59 AM on the day at the age of 78. The funeral will be held as a family funeral over four days, with the departure ceremony scheduled for the 28th.