"Too Much to Do but Just Sleeping!" 'Bursting' Lee Geonhee's Midnight Phone Orders

"Late Chairman Lee Kun-hee, Worked Overnight Every Day Without Rest... Devoted Himself to Extensive Study"

Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung and a representative figure of the Korean business world, passed away on the 25th at Samsung Medical Center in Irwon-dong, Seoul. He was 78 years old. This marks six years since he collapsed at his home in Itaewon-dong, Seoul, in May 2014 due to acute myocardial infarction. His surviving family members include his wife Hong Ra-hee, former director of the Leeum Museum of Art; his son Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics; his daughter Lee Boo-jin, president of Hotel Shilla; Lee Seo-hyun, chairwoman of the Samsung Welfare Foundation; and his son-in-law Kim Jae-yeol, president of the Samsung Economic Research Institute. In 1997, Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Group, presided over a meeting of the Japanese electronics subgroup presidents.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Jeong Junmyeong, former head of the secretarial team who served as secretary to Samsung's founding chairman Lee Byung-chul and second-generation chairman Lee Kun-hee (former president of Samsung Electronics Japan headquarters), recalled on the 25th, upon hearing the news of Chairman Lee Kun-hee's passing, "Even though he achieved record-breaking results like never before, his voice encouraging us to run together for tomorrow, saying he was still hungry, remains vivid."

In a eulogy sent to JoongAng Ilbo that day, former secretary Jeong said, "(Chairman Lee) would occasionally call me early in the morning, and at the time, I didn't know which country he was calling from," adding, "Usually around 2 to 3 a.m., he would start with diverse instructions and discussions beginning with, 'There is so much work to do, how can you just sleep! At that age, if you sleep like others, how can you beat competitors! Everyone has 24 hours equally, but the only time I can use as I please is sleeping time.' I always kept a memo notebook and pens with two or more colors next to the phone."

He continued, "Sometimes the calls lasted about 100 minutes, and when the memo notebook ran out, I would prepare more paper and continue the call, only to be told that I was usually unprepared," he added.

On the 25th, the day Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung Group, passed away, citizens at Seoul Station were watching the breaking news related to Chairman Lee Kun-hee's death. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He also said, "During business trips to Japan, we would occasionally watch movies together at the theater, and although he seemed to be asleep beside us, he knew the plot and the protagonist's movements very precisely, which surprised us," explaining, "Chairman Lee studied extensively every day without rest, whether at home or on overseas business trips, staying up all night to review reports, professional books, specialized magazines, documentaries on video and DVD, analyzing movies as a cinephile, studying influential figures who moved the world, and covering every corner of the group's businesses including electronics, automobiles, machinery, chemistry, finance, services, and distribution."

Former secretary Jeong added, "Chairman Lee remembered the days he faced discrimination and humiliation while attending elementary school and university in Japan, and he said that businesspeople should take the lead in raising national pride and dignity," stating, "He explained the pros and cons of capitalism and emphasized that liberal democracy is a natural universal value of humanity, which is established by developing one's abilities and roles, urging us to focus first on production and export."

He also recalled, "I vividly hear Chairman Lee's words, 'Work, work, and work hard again,'" and said, "He quoted the Bible with the phrase 'Be alert!' emphasizing not to put the lamp under the bed. He lamented, 'There is a mountain of work to do in our country, which is surrounded by enemies on all sides more than the heavenly kingdom, so why did you leave so suddenly?'"

Finally, former secretary Jeong said, "Now the world will quietly evaluate, but the next generations will lead the global vision and goals without fail, and we will never stop discussing them," paying tribute.