Samsung Electronics co-CEO Han Jong-Hee died from cardiac arrest on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the South Korean tech giant. Han was 63.
Born in 1962, Han had been in charge of Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices divisions since 2022. He was appointed as vice chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics in 2022. Han’s co-CEO, Jun Young-Hyun, assumed the role just last week.
The spokesperson told CNN that Jun, who has been leading the semiconductor business, would be the company’s sole CEO after Han’s death.
According to an internal message obtained by CNN, Samsung honored Han for dedicating over 37 years to leading Samsung’s TV business to a global leadership position. He also played a key role in the company’s growth by overseeing its electronics and appliances sectors during challenging times.
“Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the message said.
Despite being a prominent player in the electronics industry, Samsung has faced significant challenges in recent years. The company’s logic semiconductor division lags behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a leader in contract chip manufacturing, in terms of both advancing production of advanced chips and attracting major clients.
On the memory side of the chip business, which has long been a strength for Samsung, analysts say it has fallen behind South Korean rival Hynix in the market for high bandwidth memory (HBM) technology, which has contributed to a slump in its share price. HBM chips are essential for the graphic processing units created by the likes of Nvidia.
During an annual meeting with investors last week, which he chaired, Han apologized for the performance of Samsung stock and warned of a difficult 2025 because of uncertainties around the economic policies of major economies, according to Reuters. He added that Samsung would seek “meaningful” mergers and acquisitions deals this year to support the company’s growth.
“There are some difficulties in doing semiconductor M&As due to regulatory issues and various national interests, but we’re determined to produce some tangible results this year,” he was quoted as saying.
Han joined the company in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Prior to running Samsung’s electronics and devices division, he was in charge of the display operation.
Han was “central” in rolling out Samsung’s LED TVs, which, along with other innovations of his, helped the company “continually demonstrate technology leadership,” Samsung said in a company biography published last week.
