Samsung Co-CEO Han Jong-hee Dies Of Heart Attack, Leaving Jun Young-hyun In Sole Charge

Samsung Electronics has announced the sudden passing of co-CEO Han Jong-hee due to a heart attack on Tuesday, leaving newly appointed leader, Jun Young-hyun, as the sole chief executive at a critical time for the company.

Han, 63, had led Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices division since becoming CEO in 2022.

 

His death comes as the South Korean tech giant struggles to regain its footing in the competitive semiconductor and smartphone markets.

Samsung confirmed in a regulatory filing that Jun, who was appointed co-CEO just last week at the annual shareholders' meeting, will now oversee the entire company. 

 

Jun was previously promoted in 2024 to head the semiconductor division, which has lagged behind rivals such as SK Hynix and TSMC in the booming artificial intelligence chip sector.

 

Following the news of Han’s death, Samsung’s shares fell by 0.5%, mirroring a broader decline in the South Korean stock market.