Samsung, KIA Face Off in Today's KS Games 1 & 2
Lee's Chance to Go to Daegu Near Zero
Group Crisis Response Considered
KIA's Jeong Eui-seon to Attend in Person for First Time in 7 Years
The Samsung Lions professional baseball team has advanced to the Korean Series for the first time in nine years, facing off against the KIA Tigers, sparking interest in whether Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun will visit the baseball stadium. In business circles, the prevailing view is that the likelihood of Chairman Lee visiting Daegu Samsung Lions Park this year is low.
In May 2015, Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics (right), is watching the regular league game between Samsung and Doosan at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul. On the left is Hong Ra-hee, Director of the Leeum Museum of Art. Photo by Yonhap News
According to business and baseball insiders on the 23rd, Chairman Lee recently decided to refrain from attending baseball games in person, considering the company's current crisis and the increasingly severe internal and external atmosphere. At present, the possibility of him watching the Korean Series games live is virtually 'zero.' A business insider said, "Chairman Lee does not have the luxury to pay attention to baseball right now."
Since Samsung Electronics announced its third-quarter earnings on the 8th, the entire company has been focusing on overcoming the crisis and revitalizing internal morale. Especially in the semiconductor division, which has fallen behind in technological competition, intense organizational restructuring and personnel measures are reportedly under consideration. Internal employees have also expressed negative opinions about attending games in person. It is a time to concentrate on management strategies and reform plans at the company rather than at the baseball stadium.
Chairman Lee's 'baseball clock' stopped in October 2015, when the team last advanced to the Korean Series. At that time, he visited Daegu Civic Baseball Stadium to support the Samsung Lions in the Korean Series Game 2 against the Doosan Bears. In May of the same year, he also visited Jamsil Baseball Stadium with his mother, Hong Ra-hee, former director of the Samsung Museum of Art Leeum, to watch a regular-season game.
Chairman Chung Eui-sun of Hyundai Motor Group taking a commemorative photo with the national archery team [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the KIA Tigers side, who are facing Samsung, attention is focused on whether Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun will watch the game at Gwangju KIA Champions Field. Some believe that considering Hyundai Motor Group's excellent business performance this year, Chairman Chung is likely to attend the game in person. Chairman Chung has not visited since watching a game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in October 2017, when the KIA Tigers won their 11th championship.
The first and second games of the Korean Series between Samsung and KIA will be held consecutively this afternoon.
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