Samsung Electronics has confirmed the passing of its co-CEO, Han Jong-hee, who died of a heart attack on Tuesday at the age of 63. Han, who had been with the company since 1988, played a pivotal role in establishing Samsung as a global leader in the television industry, particularly through the development of its high-end LED TVs.
Han was instrumental in the company’s technological innovations, which helped elevate Samsung’s TV business to the top of the global market. The company credited him with driving innovations that cemented Samsung’s position as a leader in consumer electronics. His work contributed significantly to the company’s reputation for cutting-edge technology and design.
“He was central in the unveiling of Samsung’s world-class LED TVs,” Samsung said in a statement, noting that his leadership helped keep the company’s TV division at the forefront of the industry.
Han’s death comes at a challenging time for Samsung, which is facing business difficulties, particularly in the highly competitive memory chip market, where it has struggled to meet the demands of companies like Nvidia. Samsung’s position in the race to produce high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for artificial intelligence (AI) has been under pressure, with rival SK Hynix becoming a key supplier for Nvidia’s AI graphics processing units.
In the face of these challenges, Samsung’s chairman, Lee Jae-yong, recently emphasized the need for the company to adopt a “do-or-die” mentality to navigate the increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving AI landscape. The company has also acknowledged the “crisis” it is facing, with concerns about its technological competitiveness and the future of its business.
Han is survived by his wife and three children. His passing marks the loss of a key figure in Samsung’s rise to global prominence in consumer electronics.
