Cause of Chairman Lee Kun-hee's Death is 'Renal Failure'

Recent Kidney Function Decline After Long Battle with Illness
Kidney Failure is a Disease That Fails to Filter Waste from the Blood
Samsung Does Not Disclose Direct Cause of Death or Funeral Time

On the 25th, the day Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung Group, passed away, Samsung officials were busy moving around at the Samsung Medical Center funeral hall in Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The direct cause of death of Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee is reported to be renal failure.

According to the medical community on the 26th, Chairman Lee Kun-hee recently experienced a rapid decline in kidney function and passed away due to renal failure.

Chairman Lee had been battling illness for 6 years and 5 months after collapsing from an acute myocardial infarction in May 2014. The medical community believes that his kidney function deteriorated due to his advanced age and prolonged illness, making recovery difficult.

Renal failure is a condition where abnormalities in the kidneys prevent them from properly filtering waste from the blood. This leads to increased concentration of waste in the blood and fluid retention, which can cause complications and high blood pressure. Lee Jae-hyun, chairman of CJ Group and a member of the Samsung family, also suffers from chronic renal failure.

Before collapsing from the acute myocardial infarction, Chairman Lee had suffered from pneumonia and respiratory diseases. In 1999, cancer cells were found in the lymph nodes near his lungs, and he underwent surgery.

Samsung has not yet disclosed the direct cause of death of Chairman Lee Kun-hee. His funeral is reported to be scheduled for the morning of the 28th, but the exact time and location have not been announced.