Samsung co-CEO Han Jong-hee dies of heart attack at 63; Jun Young-hyun named sole CEO

Samsung Electronics announced on Tuesday that Han Jong-hee, one of the company’s co-CEOs, has died of a heart attack at the age of 63.

His death comes four years after the passing of former Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, who turned the company into a global electronics powerhouse. Lee died at 78.

“Today is a terrible day for Samsung. The vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, Jong-Hee (JH) Han, died earlier today. It is reported that Han suffered a major heart attack a few days ago and died while receiving treatment at a hospital. He was 63 years old,” Samsung shared on its website.

Han led the digital appliances division and the device experience unit, which covers Samsung’s mobile phone and home appliance businesses.

He joined Samsung back in 1988 and steadily moved up over the decades. In 2011, he took over as head of product R&D for the visual display division. He became CEO in 2022.

Samsung credited Han for playing a key role in pushing the company forward during tough market conditions, particularly in the TV business. “Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the company said in a statement.

Just a week before his passing, Han hosted Samsung’s annual general shareholders meeting in Suwon, South Korea, where he addressed concerns about the company’s lagging stock performance. He was also one of four executive directors on the board.

With Han’s passing, co-CEO Jun Young-hyun will now take over as the sole CEO. Jun was brought on last November to help lead Samsung’s memory chip business during a shakeup meant to respond to growing competition in the semiconductor space.

Samsung began as a trading company in 1938, founded by Lee Byung-Chul. Over the next three decades, it expanded into a wide range of industries—everything from food processing and textiles to insurance, securities, and retail. By the late 1960s, Samsung had stepped into electronics, followed by construction and shipbuilding in the mid-1970s—sectors that would fuel much of its future growth.

At its peak, Samsung’s revenue accounted for about 17% of South Korea’s $1.08 trillion GDP. In 2019 alone, Samsung Electronics brought in roughly 230.4 trillion Korean won, or around $206 billion USD.