Han Jong-Hee, co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 63 due to cardiac arrest, according to a company spokesperson. He is survived by his wife and three children.
Since 2022, Han had overseen Samsung’s consumer mobile and electronics division. That same year, he was appointed vice CEO and chairman.
Last week, Jun Young-Hyun, Han’s co-CEO, was appointed to the role.
Following Han’s passing, the company confirmed that Jun, who previously led Samsung’s semiconductor business, will serve as the sole CEO.
In an internal message, Samsung honored Han’s legacy, highlighting his nearly four decades of dedication to the company.
He played a key role in making Samsung’s TV business a global leader, overtaking Japanese rivals such as Sony, and contributed to the company’s growth as head of the appliances and electronics division, even during challenging times.
The company also expressed its deepest condolences to Han’s family and loved ones.
In recent years, Samsung has struggled with its semiconductor business, which has fallen behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in producing advanced chips.
Its high-bandwidth memory chip division, which is crucial for GPUs like those made by Nvidia, has also lagged behind South Korean competitor Hynix, causing a drop in Samsung’s share price.
At the company’s annual meeting last week, Han apologized to investors for Samsung’s disappointing performance and warned that 2025 would be a tough year due to economic uncertainties.
He assured investors that the company would pursue “meaningful” mergers and acquisitions to drive growth.
Han was also set to attend a Samsung launch event for a new line of home appliances later this week.
Samsung chairman Jay Y. Lee was in China this week for a development forum and was spotted visiting BYD’s headquarters and Xiaomi’s car factory in Beijing. Samsung has declined to comment on his trip.
Born in 1962, Han joined Samsung in 1988 after earning a degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Before leading the company’s electronics and devices division, he headed its display operations.
According to his company biography on Samsung’s website, Han played a key role in launching Samsung’s LED TVs. His contributions, along with other innovations, helped shape the company into the tech giant it is today.
Han also strongly advocated for AI-powered consumer devices and pushed for AI integration across the company’s line, including fridges, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and smartphone.
Business administration professor Kim Dae-jong noted that Han’s passing could have a significant impact on Samsung’s position as a global leader in the TV market. He also believes his absence may influence the company’s long-term global strategy.
