Seoul, March 25: Samsung Electronics’ Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee has died of a heart attack, industry sources said on Tuesday. He was 63. Han suffered a heart attack over the weekend and died while receiving treatment at a hospital, according to the sources, reports Yonhap news agency.
Born in 1962, Han was widely regarded as a TV industry expert. Under his leadership, Samsung Electronics maintained its position as the world's No. 1 TV brand for 19 consecutive years. He was nicknamed "Mr. Rhinoceros" within the company for his strong work ethic and determination to overcome challenges.
Han joined Samsung Electronics in 1988 as part of the TV development team and played a pivotal role in advancing the company's display technology. He was promoted to vice chairman in 2021 and has since led the Device Experience (DX) division, overseeing Samsung's TV, home appliances and smartphone businesses. Until last week, Han was actively engaged in overseas business activities.
Last Wednesday, he participated in the company's general shareholders meeting, where he vowed to regain technology leadership and secure new growth engines to navigate the rapidly changing artificial intelligence-driven industrial landscape.
Following the meeting, he travelled to Shanghai, China, to visit the Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE) 2025, assessing the local consumer electronics market and emerging trends.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s Chairman Lee Jae-yong on Monday visited Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD Co.'s headquarters as part of efforts to expand Samsung's presence in the automotive electronics market, industry sources said. Lee travelled to BYD's headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, after attending the annual China Development Forum in Beijing, which concluded on Sunday, the sources said.
While details of his schedule and meetings were not disclosed, Lee was expected to meet with key officials, including BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu, to discuss potential business collaboration in vehicle electronics systems. It is Lee's second tour to BYD's headquarters following the visit in 2018, when he met with the BYD chairman.
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