Samsung Electronics announce death of its co-CEO Han Jong-Hee

Samsung Electronics has announced the death of its co-CEO Han Jong-Hee, who passed away at 63 from cardiac arrest. Han was instrumental in elevating Samsung’s television business to global prominence, playing a key role in the company’s high-end LED TV innovations.

Since joining Samsung in 1988, his contributions helped maintain its leadership in the global TV market. Despite not being part of the Samsung family, Han was a central figure in the company’s success, with his absence potentially impacting Samsung’s future strategies.

His passing comes at a challenging time for the company as it faces difficulties in the AI-driven semiconductor market. Samsung has been struggling to keep up with demand for AI chips, particularly as rival SK Hynix has become the main supplier for Nvidia’s high-bandwidth memory chips. Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-Yong recently emphasized the need for a “do-or-die” approach to tackling AI industry challenges. Han, in his last public statement at the company’s shareholders’ meeting, stressed the importance of innovation in robotics, medical technology, and next-generation semiconductors to secure new growth opportunities.

Samsung recently reported a decline in operating profit due to increased spending on research, reflecting the competitive nature of the AI industry. The emergence of DeepSeek’s new AI chatbot has added further uncertainty, raising concerns about the massive investments made in AI over the years. Han’s leadership in Samsung’s TV business was widely acknowledged, and his unexpected death could have long-term effects on the company’s strategic direction.

, who passed away at 63 from cardiac arrest. Han was instrumental in elevating Samsung’s television business to global prominence, playing a key role in the company’s high-end LED TV innovations. Since joining Samsung in 1988, his contributions helped maintain its leadership in the global TV market. Despite not being part of the Samsung family, Han was a central figure in the company’s success, with his absence potentially impacting Samsung’s future strategies.

His passing comes at a challenging time for the company as it faces difficulties in the AI-driven semiconductor market. Samsung has been struggling to keep up with demand for AI chips, particularly as rival SK Hynix has become the main supplier for Nvidia’s high-bandwidth memory chips. Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-Yong recently emphasized the need for a “do-or-die” approach to tackling AI industry challenges. Han, in his last public statement at the company’s shareholders’ meeting, stressed the importance of innovation in robotics, medical technology, and next-generation semiconductors to secure new growth opportunities.

Samsung recently reported a decline in operating profit due to increased spending on research, reflecting the competitive nature of the AI industry. The emergence of DeepSeek’s new AI chatbot has added further uncertainty, raising concerns about the massive investments made in AI over the years. Han’s leadership in Samsung’s TV business was widely acknowledged, and his unexpected death could have long-term effects on the company’s strategic direction.