Samsung Co-CEO Han Jong-hee Dies at 63, Leaving Legacy in TV Innovation and AI Integration

Samsung TV pioneer Han Jong-hee dead at 63

Seoul (AFP) - Samsung Electronics co-CEO Han Jong-hee, credited with boosting the South Korean tech giant's television business on the global stage, died of a heart attack Tuesday aged 63, the company told AFP. "He died from cardiac arrest today," a Samsung spokesperson said, adding that Han was survived by his wife and three children. Han joined Samsung in 1988 and was seen as having played a key role in getting its high-end TV sets noticed worldwide. "Han was central in the unveiling of Samsung's world-class LED TVs," the firm said in a company biography published earlier this month. "His numerous other innovations enabled the company to continually demonstrate its technology leadership," it added. Han was credited by the company with taking Samsung televisions "to the pinnacle of the global market" -- and keeping them there. Samsung Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of South Korean giant Samsung group, by far the largest of the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate Asia's fourth-largest economy. Han was not part of the Samsung family, which still dominates the company, with third-generation leader Lee Jae-yong the current chief of Samsung Electronics. Han's death could deal a blow to Samsung's strategy to keep its number one place in the global TV market, Kim Dae-jong, professor of business administration at Sejong University in Seoul, told AFP. "Considering he has been deeply involved in Samsung's TV business for decades, helping it firmly secure its global standing, his absence could affect its global strategy for years to come." Samsung, like other TV titans LG and TCL, has been packing ever more AI into huge screens that are inching towards being digital assistants capable of chatting with users and other devices in homes. AI headwinds Han's death also comes as the world's largest memory-chip maker faces business headwinds in its race to produce chips used in artificial intelligence. Analysts have said Samsung was struggling to meet demand for chips used in AI servers, especially from US titan Nvidia. Meanwhile, local rival SK hynix has become the US giant's main supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for its AI graphics processing units. The challenging conditions prompted Samsung Electronics chairman Lee to declare that the company must adopt a "do-or-die" mindset to confront the challenges posed by AI, according to media reports last week. Samsung acknowledged in October that it was facing a "crisis", admitting that questions had arisen about its "fundamental technological competitiveness and the future of the company". At the company's general meeting of shareholders last week, the last public event Han attended, he also noted that the company would need fresh momentum to gain an edge in the competitive AI field. "We will continue to pioneer in various areas such as robotics, medtech and next-generation semiconductors to secure new growth momentum," he told the meeting. Samsung's operating profit sank almost a third in the fourth quarter last year, owing to spending on research. Samsung's struggles come as the tech world has been shaken by news of DeepSeek new R1 chatbot, which sparked a rout in tech titans earlier this year and raised questions about the hundreds of billions of dollars invested in AI in recent years.

Samsung TV pioneer Han Jong-hee dead at 63

Samsung Electronics co-CEO Han Jong-hee, credited with boosting the South Korean tech giant's television business on the global stage, died of a heart attack Tuesday aged 63, the company told AFP. "He died from cardiac arrest today," a Samsung spokesperson said, adding that Han was survived by his wife and three children. Han was credited by the company with taking Samsung televisions "to the pinnacle of the global market" -- and keeping them there.Samsung Electronics co-CEO Han Jong-hee, credited with boosting the South Korean tech giant's television business on the global stage, died of a heart attack Tuesday aged 63, the company told AFP. "He died from cardiac arrest today," a Samsung spokesperson said, adding that Han was survived by his wife and three children. Han joined Samsung in 1988 and was seen as having played a key role in getting its high-end TV sets noticed worldwide. "Han was central in the unveiling of Samsung's world-class LED TVs," the firm said in a company biography published earlier this month. "His numerous other innovations enabled the company to continually demonstrate its technology leadership," it added. Han was credited by the company with taking Samsung televisions "to the pinnacle of the global market" -- and keeping them there. Samsung Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of South Korean giant Samsung group, by far the largest of the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate Asia's fourth-largest economy. Han was not part of the Samsung family, which still dominates the company, with third-generation leader Lee Jae-yong the current chief of Samsung Electronics. Han's death could deal a blow to Samsung's strategy to keep its number one place in the global TV market, Kim Dae-jong, professor of business administration at Sejong University in Seoul, told AFP. "Considering he has been deeply involved in Samsung's TV business for decades, helping it firmly secure its global standing, his absence could affect its global strategy for years to come." Samsung, like other TV titans LG and TCL, has been packing ever more AI into huge screens that are inching towards being digital assistants capable of chatting with users and other devices in homes. AI headwinds Han's death also comes as the world's largest memory-chip maker faces business headwinds in its race to produce chips used in artificial intelligence. Analysts have said Samsung was struggling to meet demand for chips used in AI servers, especially from US titan Nvidia. Meanwhile, local rival SK hynix has become the US giant's main supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for its AI graphics processing units. The challenging conditions prompted Samsung Electronics chairman Lee to declare that the company must adopt a "do-or-die" mindset to confront the challenges posed by AI, according to media reports last week. Samsung acknowledged in October that it was facing a "crisis", admitting that questions had arisen about its "fundamental technological competitiveness and the future of the company". At the company's general meeting of shareholders last week, the last public event Han attended, he also noted that the company would need fresh momentum to gain an edge in the competitive AI field. "We will continue to pioneer in various areas such as robotics, medtech and next-generation semiconductors to secure new growth momentum," he told the meeting. Samsung's operating profit sank almost a third in the fourth quarter last year, owing to spending on research. Samsung's struggles come as the tech world has been shaken by news of DeepSeek new R1 chatbot, which sparked a rout in tech titans earlier this year and raised questions about the hundreds of billions of dollars invested in AI in recent years.

Samsung Electronics co-CEO dies of heart attack at 63

Samsung Electronics Co. co-Chief Executive Officer Han Jong-Hee, who is credited for growing the Korean conglomerate into the world's top electronics company, has died. He was 63. The executive died Tuesday after suffering a cardiac arrest episode earlier, a spokesperson for the company said. He is survived by his wife and three children. Samsung stock dipped initially before recouping losses in Seoul. Han, a company veteran who began his career in the displays division more than three decades ago, was instrumental in displacing Japanese rivals such as Sony Group Corp. "His contribution to the consumer electronics business cannot be overstated," said Sanjeev Rana, an analyst at CLSA Securities Korea. "Under his leadership, Samsung's TV business especially has maintained a very strong market position over the last two decades." Han played an "overall supervisory role" on the company's smartphone business, Rana said, with Samsung's hands-on mobile division head, TM Roh, taking a leading role. Han's personal motto was "eternal No. 1" and he was known for his strong work ethic and determination to overcome challenges, an embodiment of Samsung's culture. After being promoted to vice chairman in 2021, he led the so-called the Device Experience division, overseeing Samsung's TV, home appliances and smartphone businesses. Most recently, Han took charge of efforts to integrate AI into most of Samsung's products in anticipation of a boom in artificial intelligence features for everyday use. Under his leadership, the company has installed AI chips in its fridges, washing machines and vacuum cleaners. During an interview with Bloomberg News in January, Han emphasized Samsung's unique market position as a leader in not just mobile devices but also home appliances to accelerate smart home technology around the world. He said Samsung wants to better connect the half-billion devices it sells each year to help make up for missteps that have cost it the lead against big tech rivals in areas such as top-end memory and generative AI. His death comes at a crucial juncture for the company. The rapid rise of Chinese electronics brands, offering competitive features at lower prices, is posing a significant threat to Samsung's market dominance. The Korean company is also trying to catch up with SK Hynix Inc. in AI memory and fend off rivals from the US and China. Last week, Han presided over Samsung's annual shareholders' meeting and talked about challenges facing the company. He told investors that 2025 would be a difficult year but the company would pursue mergers and acquisitions to address growth concerns. Han shared leadership duties with Vice Chairman Jun Young-hyun, who's taken the helm of the company's pivotal semiconductor business. Han was in charge of everything else at the massive electronics manufacturer. "Ultimately, our goal is to create new products that people haven't experienced before," he told Bloomberg News in January.