Samsung Electronics co-CEO Han Jong-Hee passed away on Tuesday, March 25, at the age of 63 due to a heart attack, the company confirmed to AFP.
A company spokesperson stated that Han, who also served as a board member, was receiving treatment at a hospital when he suffered cardiac arrest. Samsung has yet to determine his successor. “He passed away from cardiac arrest today,” the spokesperson said, adding that Han is survived by his wife and three children.
Han took on the role of chief executive officer at South Korea’s largest company in 2022 and led its consumer electronics and mobile devices division.
He played a crucial role in elevating Samsung’s television business on a global scale. Having joined the company in 1988, Han was instrumental in positioning Samsung’s high-end TV sets as industry leaders worldwide. “Han was central to the unveiling of Samsung’s world-class LED TVs,” the company stated in a biography published earlier this month.
His contributions were credited with keeping Samsung at the forefront of the global TV market. “His numerous innovations enabled the company to continually demonstrate its technology leadership,” the biography added.
Samsung Electronics, the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung Group, is the largest of South Korea’s family-controlled conglomerates, dominating Asia’s fourth-largest economy. The company traditionally operates under a co-CEO structure, dividing oversight between its consumer electronics and semiconductor divisions.
Han dedicated nearly four decades to Samsung, shaping its television business into a global powerhouse.
“Han was a key figure in making Samsung’s TV business globally influential,” an industry analyst said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. “His sudden passing could have long-term implications for Samsung’s business strategy, particularly in marketing.”
Despite his leadership role, Han was not part of the Samsung founding family, which remains at the helm of the company under third-generation leader Lee Jae-Yong.
His passing may pose challenges to Samsung’s efforts to maintain its dominance in the global TV market. Kim Dae-Jong, a business administration professor at Sejong University in Seoul, told AFP, “Considering his decades-long influence in shaping Samsung’s TV business and securing its global standing, his absence could impact the company’s strategy for years to come.”
