Samsung Electronics announced on Tuesday the sudden death of co-CEO Han Jong-hee, who passed away at the age of 63 after suffering a heart attack. Han’s death leaves newly-appointed CEO Jun Young-hyun in charge of the tech giant as it faces challenges in its underperforming chip division and navigates uncertainties in global trade.
Han, who had a distinguished 40-year career at Samsung, was known for his pivotal role in building Samsung’s influential television business. Despite his unexpected passing, Samsung stated that Jun would now serve as the sole CEO, after Han had previously shared leadership responsibilities with him, overseeing the company’s consumer and semiconductor divisions.
Jun’s appointment as co-CEO was announced just a week ago at Samsung’s annual shareholders meeting. He had been promoted in 2024 to lead the semiconductor division, which has been lagging behind competitors like SK Hynix and TSMC, particularly in the growing artificial intelligence (AI) chip market.
Samsung has faced difficult times in recent quarters, with weak earnings, a declining share price, and struggles in its semiconductor and smartphone divisions. The company has fallen behind in advanced memory chips and AI-related contract chip manufacturing, sectors in which rivals have enjoyed strong demand, particularly due to the AI boom. Han had acknowledged these challenges during the shareholder meeting, citing 2025 as a potentially tough year and emphasizing Samsung’s efforts to flexibly respond to trade challenges, including U.S. tariffs.
Han’s passing could have a long-term impact on Samsung’s business strategy, particularly in marketing and other areas like home appliances. The company is also exploring new growth opportunities in automotive electronics, a sector Samsung aims to expand into for future revenue streams.