Lee Jaeyong's Eldest Son Lee Jiho, Who Renounced U.S. Citizenship, Begins Service as Navy Interpretation Officer

Enlisted After Renouncing U.S. Citizenship

Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho, the eldest son of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jaeyong, has been assigned to the Navy's 5th Mine Landing Flotilla, where he has officially begun his military service as an interpretation officer.

Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho, the newly commissioned officer, is attending the "139th Naval Officer Candidate Commissioning Ceremony" held on the 28th at the Naval Academy in Jinhae-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, and is taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to the Navy on January 11, Second Lieutenant Lee will serve as an interpretation officer in the Intelligence Operations Office of the 5th Flotilla. This unit is a key flotilla directly under the Naval Operations Command. He will be responsible for interpreting between commanders and translating various intelligence documents during joint operations with foreign militaries. He is also expected to handle protocol interpretation for key foreign military personnel.

Second Lieutenant Lee entered the Naval Academy as a naval officer candidate in September last year and was commissioned as a second lieutenant at the end of November. He subsequently completed the basic military training course for new officers. The initial three weeks of basic military education consisted of common training for all participants.

Born in the United States in 2000 and previously holding dual citizenship in Korea and the United States, Second Lieutenant Lee renounced his U.S. citizenship and enlisted to fulfill his military duty as a naval officer. His expected discharge date is November 30, 2028.

During the approximately two months of training, Second Lieutenant Lee served as the battalion commander candidate on behalf of his peers. At the commissioning ceremony, attention was drawn to his noticeably slimmer appearance, a result of the rigorous training.

On November 28 last year, at the commissioning and graduation ceremony of the 139th Naval and Marine Corps Officer Candidates held at the Naval Academy parade ground in Changwon, Gyeongnam, Navy Chief of Staff Kang Dong-gil (from left), Hong Ra-hee, Honorary Director of the Leeum Museum of Art, newly commissioned officer Lee Ji-ho, and Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Yonhap News

The commissioning ceremony garnered attention as both the Samsung family on his father's side and the Daesang family on his mother's side attended. Chairman Lee Jaeyong and his mother, Hong Rahee, Honorary Director of the Leeum Museum of Art, personally participated in the "parents' insignia presentation ceremony," removing the insignia tape from Second Lieutenant Lee's uniform and offering their congratulations.

His aunt, Lee Seo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T Corporation, was also present. From the Daesang Group, Vice Chairman Lim Se-ryung of Daesang Holdings, her mother Park Hyun-joo, Vice Chairman of Sangam Communications, and her younger brother Lim Sang-min, Executive Vice President of Daesang, along with his spouse, attended the event.