Lee Jae-yong Visits Semiconductor Plant in Xi'an, China... 'Global Management' Moves Despite COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the Xi'an semiconductor plant located in Shanxi Province, China, on the 18th (local time) and resumed global on-site management.

According to Samsung Electronics, Vice Chairman Lee visited the Xi'an semiconductor factory in China on the day to discuss the impact and countermeasures of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and took time to encourage employees.

This overseas trip by Vice Chairman Lee is the first in about 100 days since he visited Samsung Electronics' Manaus and Campinas plants in Brazil in January to inspect the Latin American business.

He is the first global business executive to visit China since the COVID-19 outbreak. Vice Chairman Lee also visited the Xi'an semiconductor site in February last year and encouraged employees working during the Lunar New Year holiday. Samsung Electronics stated, "This trip is to emphasize the determination to actively respond to the COVID-19 crisis while not loosening the reins of challenge in preparation for the future."

The Samsung Electronics Xi'an plant is Samsung's only overseas memory semiconductor production base, and despite the COVID-19 situation, the expansion work of the second plant is proceeding as scheduled. Last month, about 200 engineers necessary for the expansion of the second plant were dispatched by chartered flight.

Despite the COVID-19 situation, Vice Chairman Lee continued on-site management by visiting domestic business sites one after another. On February 20, he visited the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) line at Samsung Electronics Hwaseong plant, known as the "heart of the system semiconductor business," followed by a visit to the Gumi plant on March 3. Then, on March 19, he visited the Asan plant in Chungnam, and on March 25, the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology in Suwon. On the 13th, he invited Chung Eui-sun, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman, to the Samsung SDI Cheonan plant for their first exclusive summit meeting, exchanging opinions on the development status and direction of next-generation electric vehicle batteries, specifically all-solid-state batteries.

This trip to Xi'an, China, by Vice Chairman Lee is also his first public appearance since his national apology on the 6th regarding the management succession controversy and his statement to "create a new Samsung befitting the national dignity of the Republic of Korea." Notably, this visit took place amid the imminent summons of Vice Chairman Lee by prosecutors investigating allegations related to the merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.