Condolences Continue at the Funeral of Son Bok-nam, CJ Group Advisor... "The Hidden Figure Behind the Birth of CJ Group"

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and former Leeum Museum Director Hong Ra-hee are entering the funeral hall of the late Son Bok-nam, mother of CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun, set up at the CJ Human Resources Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 6th to pay their respects. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] Business leaders continued to pay their respects at the funeral hall of the late Son Bok-nam, an advisor to CJ Group, set up at the CJ Human Resources Center in Pil-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul.

At around 9 a.m. on the 6th, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, accompanied by his mother Hong Ra-hee, former director of the Leeum Museum of Art, was the first to visit Son's funeral hall. Additionally, Hong Seok-hyun, chairman of JoongAng Holdings, and Kim Dong-kwan, vice chairman of Hanwha Group, also visited the funeral hall in the morning to pay their respects.

Furthermore, Kim Yoon, chairman of Samyang Holdings; Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Choi Chang-won, CEO of SK Discovery; and Hong Seok-hyun, chairman of JoongAng Holdings, also visited the funeral hall. Jeong Jin-seok, emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, and Lee Ki-soo, former president of Korea University, also came to pay their respects.

The late advisor Son, who passed away the day before, was the eldest daughter of the late Son Young-gi, former governor of Gyeonggi Province, and married the late Lee Maeng-hee, honorary chairman of CJ and eldest son of Lee Byung-chul, the founder of Samsung Group. They had three children: Lee Jae-hyun, chairman of CJ; Lee Mi-kyung, vice chairman; and Lee Jae-hwan, chairman of Jaesan Holdings.

She is regarded as a foundational figure in CJ Group. Chairman Lee Jae-hyun mourned, "(She was) a hidden key figure in the birth of CJ Group and my steadfast supporter." When CJ Group was separated from Samsung Group in 1993, Son exchanged her shares in Ankuk Fire & Marine Insurance (now Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance) for shares in Cheil Jedang and subsequently gifted all of them to her eldest son, Lee Jae-hyun.

In accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family, CJ Group is holding a private family funeral.

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