Despite regular check ups by Samsung’s medical division, the CEO and Vice Chairman and the former head of the Companies mobile division has died of a heart attack, at 63.
CEO and Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee died suddenly yesterday, at the time he was leading a turnaround for the South Korean Company who is facing declining sales across multiple fronts.
Survived by his wife and three children, he was previously responsible for managing Samsung’s device experience (DX) unit, which includes mobile phones, TVs and home appliances all divisions that are now under pressure.
Samsung stock dipped initially before recouping losses in Seoul.
Han, who took over as CEO and vice chairman in 2022 died after being treated for cardiac arrest at a hospital, the company said.
“Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” Samsung said.
Samsung are well known for looking after their senior management with presidents and vice presidents having to undergo annual medical checks.
One of those medical checks saved the life of a former Australian Vice President who was diagnosed with a problem while undergoing a mandatory medical during a trip to Samsung headquarters in South Korea.
Young-Hyun Jun, who heads up Samsung’s computer chip and components division, will serve as the company’s sole CEO following Han’s death, the company said in a regulatory filing.
The tech giant has struggled to keep pace with key rivals in computer chip development in recent quarters as the sector makes massive investments in artificial intelligence. Key rival Apple also passed Samsung and became the world’s top seller of smartphones in January.
Overall, Samsung’s stock has fallen more than 20% over the last year.
Han had apologized for Samsung’s recent slump during the shareholder meeting last week. He also vowed that Samsung would adapt to any challenges posed by President Trump’s tariff plans.
Vice Chairman Han dedicated more than 37 years of his career helping to lead Samsung’s TV business to become a global leader,” the company said in a notice to employees.
“He also contributed to the company’s growth as the head of the DX division and digital appliances business amid a challenging business environment.”
The unexpected news comes as Samsung’s grip on the global smartphone market is starting to slip in the face of challenges from Apple and Chinese makers such as Xiaomi. Apple led the global smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2024, with a 23% share, while Samsung took the second spot with a 16% share, according to Counterpoint Research.
South Korea’s corporate leaders, including the head of Samsung’s local rival LG Electronics, also expressed their condolences.
“I am very sorry. I give my condolences to the people at Samsung Electronics,” LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan told reporters. “He made many efforts for the development of the electronics industry in South Korea.”
Born in 1963, Han graduated from Inha University with a degree in electronic engineering. He joined Samsung Electronics as a developer in 1988 and built his career in TV development, contributing to Samsung’s transition across generations of display technology — from CRTs to PDP, LCD, 3D and QLED TVs.
In recognition of his achievements, Han was appointed president and head of the Visual Display Business in 2017.
In 2021, he was promoted to vice chairman and head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division, overseeing Samsung’s electronics and consumer device businesses. He was later named co-chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics in 2022.
During the company’s most recent personnel reshuffle in December 2023, Han was also appointed to lead Samsung’s Quality Innovation Committee.
He made his international debut as a company spokesperson with a keynote address at CES 2022, the world’s largest annual tech show, and continued to represent Samsung at major global events. He also frequently accompanied Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong to key business meetings.
