On the 25th, 63-year-old Han Jong-hee, vice chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics' institutional sector, suddenly passed away. He was widely known as a resilient leader who overcame various adversities and obstacles, earning him the nickname 'Rhinoceros President.' He was also a 37-year 'Samsung man' who played a significant role in helping Samsung Electronics achieve the number one position in the global TV market for 19 consecutive years.
In last year's much-anticipated 2025 Samsung Electronics regular presidential personnel announcement, despite poor performance, Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee retained his position as head of the institutional sector while also taking on responsibilities as head of the home appliance (DA) division. This demonstrates the high level of trust Samsung's leadership placed in him.
Born in 1962, Vice Chairman Han graduated from Inha University with a degree in electronic engineering in 1988 and joined the company that year in the video business division's development team. He subsequently served as head of the liquid crystal display (LCD) TV lab, head of the product development team, and head of development (vice president) in the video display division before being promoted to head of the video display division (president) in 2017.
By the end of 2021, Vice Chairman Han was recognized for playing a key role in leading Samsung Electronics in the global TV market, then was promoted to vice chairman and CEO of the institutional sector, driving technological innovations across various product areas, including TVs, home appliances, and mobile. He established a 'two-top system' with former Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (DS) division CEO Kyung Kye-hyun, and gained attention for being a vice chairman in his late 50s.
He made his global debut as a keynote speaker at the world's largest information technology (IT) and consumer electronics exhibition, 'CES 2022', receiving evaluations from both inside and outside the industry as a 'strong leader.' He also participated annually as a keynote speaker at CES, actively promoting Samsung Electronics' vision of sustainability and artificial intelligence (AI), further solidifying Samsung's status as a global brand.
He was also a pivotal figure in the domestic electronics industry, not just at Samsung. Vice Chairman Han was recently re-elected as president of the Korea Electronics Association (KEA), working to expand the growth of the domestic and international electronics industries. In this role, he has focused on strengthening regulatory responses, supporting AI innovation, and enhancing communication between the government and industry.
Until last week, Vice Chairman Han was actively engaged in various activities, including checking overseas business operations. During the Samsung Electronics shareholders' meeting on the 19th, he stated, 'We will solidify the foundation for a rebound in our existing businesses with super-gap technological leadership and continue to pursue new challenges in various fields, including robotics, medtech, and next-generation semiconductors, to secure new growth engines in the future created by AI industry growth.'