Lee Kun-hee
Samsung chairman who made it a global electronics leader
- Lived
- 78 yrs
- 1942 – 2020
- Works listed
- 0
- Career highlights
- Honours
- 0
- Awards & distinctions
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Lee Kun-hee was a South Korean businessman who led Samsung from 1987 until his death in 2020, transforming it from a maker of cheap goods into the world’s largest memory-chip and smartphone maker. He was twice convicted of financial crimes and pardoned. His art collection was donated to the nation.
Biography
Background
Lee, third son of Samsung’s founder, studied economics at Waseda University and business at George Washington University.
Chairman
He became chairman in 1987. In 1993 in Frankfurt he told executives to “change everything except your wife and children”, demanding quality. He reportedly had defective phones burned in front of staff.
Global leader
Samsung became the leading memory-chip maker in the 1990s and the top smartphone maker with Galaxy phones from 2010.
Controversies and death
He was convicted of bribery in 1996 and tax evasion in 2008, receiving pardons. A heart attack in 2014 left him incapacitated; he died in 2020. His family donated over 23,000 artworks to Korean museums.
Timeline
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1942
Born in Uiryeong, South Gyeongsang, Korea
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1987
Becomes chairman
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1993
Frankfurt Declaration
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1995
Phone bonfire
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2008
Resigns after a conviction
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2010
Returns as chairman
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2014
Heart attack
-
2020
Dies
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2020
Died, aged 78
Did you know?
-
1
He was a member of the International Olympic Committee.
-
2
He helped bring the 2018 Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang.
-
3
His art donation included works by Monet and Picasso.
Connections
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Frequently asked
Who is Lee Kun-hee?
Lee Kun-hee was a South Korean businessman who led Samsung from 1987 until his death in 2020, transforming it from a maker of cheap goods into the world’s largest memory-chip and smartphone maker. He was twice convicted of financial crimes and pardoned. His art collection was donated to the nation.
When did Lee Kun-hee die?
Lee Kun-hee died on 25 October 2020 at the age of 78.
Where is Lee Kun-hee from?
Lee Kun-hee was born in Uiryeong, South Gyeongsang, Korea.
What is Lee Kun-hee known for?
Lee Kun-hee is best known for Samsung chairman 1987–2008 and 2010–2020; the “Frankfurt Declaration” (1993); Galaxy smartphones; memory chips.
References
- Lee Kun-hee — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Lee Kun-hee — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Lee Kun-hee — Olympics.com athlete profile. Olympics.com. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Lee Kun-hee — Olympedia. Olympedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Lee Kun-hee (Q494412) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Lee Kun-hee”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Lee Kun-hee.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/lee-kun-hee
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