"The Man Who Raised a Cheap Electronics Company into a Global Giant Has Passed Away"…Foreign Media Urgently Reports 'Lee Kun-hee's Death'

Breaking News from Foreign Media: Chairman Lee Kun-hee Passes Away
Transformed Samsung Group into a Technology Company Since 1987 Appointment

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Following the passing of Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee on the 25th, foreign media outlets also rushed to report the news. They introduced the late chairman's life, highlighting how he grew Samsung Group into a global company.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The New York Times (NYT) reported that Lee, who raised Samsung Group to become a giant in smartphones, TVs, and computer chips worldwide, has passed away. The NYT noted that when Lee succeeded the late Chairman Lee Byung-chul in leading Samsung Group, the West remembered Samsung only as a maker of low-cost TVs or microwave ovens sold in discount stores. However, as Lee relentlessly pushed for technological development, Samsung Electronics became a leader in the memory chip sector, dominated the global flat-panel TV market, and conquered the mid-to-high-end mobile phone market.

The NYT stated that Samsung Electronics has become a cornerstone of the South Korean economy and one of the world’s top investors in research and development (R&D). It also introduced that during Lee’s tenure, even after professional managers took on more responsibility within the group, Lee continued to play the role of a big thinker, deciding the group’s strategic direction. Additionally, the NYT reported that Lee and others were twice indicted and later pardoned.

News agencies such as the Associated Press (AP) also reported the news of Lee’s passing through breaking news. The AP reported that Lee had been hospitalized since suffering a heart attack in 2014. The AP described Samsung as South Korea’s largest conglomerate and the fourth largest company in Asia, operating diverse businesses including shipbuilding, life insurance, construction, hotels, and amusement parks.

Bloomberg News evaluated that Lee transformed Samsung from an electronics copycat company (one that imitates best-selling products) into the world’s largest manufacturer of mobile phones, TVs, and memory chips. Bloomberg also introduced anecdotes from Lee’s life, such as his call to “change everything except my wife and children” to kickstart innovation. Furthermore, Bloomberg reported through the Bloomberg Billionaires Index that Lee’s fortune reached $20.7 billion (23.36 trillion KRW).

Japanese media also reported Lee’s passing through breaking news. Japan’s Nikkei newspaper introduced that since Lee’s appointment as Samsung Group chairman in 1987, he grew the company into a global leader in semiconductors and smartphones.

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