South Korea – Samsung Electronics has announced that its co-chief executive officer, Han Jong-Hee, passed away on Tuesday due to cardiac arrest.
Han, 63, dedicated nearly four decades to Samsung Electronics, building his career in the company’s television division. Since 2022, he had led Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices businesses and was appointed vice chairman and co-CEO that same year.
Han joined Samsung in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Before leading the company’s electronics and devices division, he headed its visual display business.
With Han’s passing, co-CEO Jun Young-Hyun, who leads the semiconductor division, has become Samsung’s sole CEO.
Just last week, Han chaired Samsung’s annual shareholders meeting, where he apologised for the company’s recent stock performance. According to Reuters, he also cautioned investors that 2025 would be a challenging year.
The tech giant has been grappling with challenges in its underperforming chip business while navigating trade uncertainties. Its semiconductor division has fallen behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and SK Hynix in the global AI chip market.
In an internal message seen by CNN, Samsung honoured Han for his 37 years of leadership, crediting him with making its TV business a global leader and driving growth in its electronics and appliances divisions despite a challenging business environment.
