Selected as Battalion Commander Candidate for the 139th Class, Leading All Officer Candidates
Commissioned as Navy Second Lieutenant on the 28th After Completing 11 Weeks of Training
Lee Jiho, the 25-year-old eldest son of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jay-yong, will serve as the cadet representative and command the troops at the 139th Naval Officer Candidate Commissioning Ceremony on November 28. This follows his completion of 11 weeks of intensive training after giving up his U.S. citizenship and enlisting as a naval officer.
At the '139th Naval Officer Candidate Entrance Ceremony' held on September 23 at the Ungpo Auditorium of the Naval Academy, Lee Jiho, the eldest son of Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, is seen taking the oath. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the business community on November 25, Lee Jiho has entered his final training schedule ahead of the commissioning ceremony, which will be held at the Korea Naval Academy in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. Notably, he was selected as the “battalion commander candidate” to lead all 83 male and female candidates of the 139th class (62 men and 21 women) at the ceremony.
Born in the United States in 2000 and holding dual citizenship by birth, he gave up his U.S. citizenship when he enlisted as a Republic of Korea Navy officer on September 15, earning praise for his “noblesse oblige.” As an official officer candidate, he participated in a three-phase, 11-week training program.
During weeks 2 to 7, the “soldierization phase,” he completed basic military training such as marching, combat swimming, field exercises, and Marine Corps field training. In weeks 8 and 9, the “officerization phase,” he received leadership education to instill honor and a sense of responsibility as a junior officer. In the final weeks 10 and 11, the “navalization phase,” he broadened his practical understanding through visits to key Navy units and ships, as well as mentoring sessions with senior officers. He is currently focusing on commissioning ceremony rehearsals.
Lee Jiho is scheduled to be commissioned as a Navy second lieutenant at the ceremony on November 28 and will serve for a total of 39 months, including the training period. He is reported to have applied to serve as an interpretation officer.
Meanwhile, Lee Jay-yong is expected to attend his son’s commissioning ceremony. He did not attend the enlistment ceremony; at that time, Lee Jiho’s mother, Lim Se-ryung, Vice Chairwoman of Daesang Holdings, and his younger sister, Lee Wonjoo, were present.
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