Inside Samsung’s War Room: Navigating Tariffs, Tech Battles, and Global Shocks (Image supported by ChatGPT)
As geopolitical tensions rise and trade dynamics shift under Trump’s second term, South Korea’s tech titan confronts a pivotal moment.
SEOUL, June 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Inside the boardrooms of Samsung Electronics this week, the air is thick with urgency. As the world’s largest memory chipmaker enters its crucial midyear strategy meetings, top executives are navigating an increasingly fraught global landscape — from shifting U.S. trade policies under President Donald Trump’s second term to fresh geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East.
Held twice annually in June and December, Samsung’s strategy sessions typically serve as checkpoints for adjusting course. But this week’s three-day meeting, running through Thursday, is anything but routine.
“This round is particularly weighty,” said an executive close to the discussions. “There’s a sense that decisions made here will define how Samsung weathers not just economic turbulence, but also a rapidly evolving geopolitical map.”
Night view of Samsung Electronics R3, R4, and R5 research centers. (Yonhap)
Trade, Tariffs, and Tech Tensions
A major topic on the table is how to respond to the Trump administration’s expansion of tariffs — including a 50 percent duty on steel-derivative products that could hit Samsung’s home appliance division. Executives are reportedly evaluating regional countermeasures, with one eye on cost efficiency and another on Washington’s unpredictable regulatory playbook.
The semiconductor division, meanwhile, faces its own reckoning. Once the unchallenged leader in DRAM chips, Samsung has seen its global market share fall to 34.4 percent in the first quarter of 2025, down from 38.6 percent in the previous quarter. Archrival SK hynix has now edged ahead, according to research firm Omdia, capturing 36.9 percent of the market.
Jun Young-hyun, head of the Device Solutions (DS) division, is leading in-depth discussions on revitalizing the memory chip business, particularly in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and foundry segments where the company has struggled to keep pace with competitors like TSMC and Nvidia-backed rivals.
HQ of Samsung Electronics (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Foldables, Appliances, and the Future of DX
At the helm of the Device eXperience (DX) division is acting chief Roh Tae-moon, who is steering conversations around Samsung’s upcoming product releases — most notably the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. These foldables are expected to anchor Samsung’s mobile lineup in the latter half of 2025 and will be supported by region-specific marketing campaigns that aim to counter growing competition from Chinese brands and Apple’s rumored foldable prototype.
Executives are also grappling with how to reposition Samsung’s premium home appliance segment amid the tariff squeeze, which could hurt margins in its key U.S. market.
As in past years, Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong is not attending the meetings, but his strategic fingerprints are expected to influence key decisions — particularly regarding long-term investments in AI semiconductors and next-generation fabrication technologies.
On June 13, 2025, at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, President Lee Jae-myung shares a smile while listening to remarks by Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong during a meeting with leaders of six major economic organizations and business executives. (Image courtesy of Presidential Office Press Photo Pool)
A Defining Moment
While Samsung has long weathered external pressures with relative resilience, the convergence of domestic political transition under President Lee Jae-myung and foreign policy shocks abroad has made the 2025 midyear meetings a potential inflection point.
“The playbook Samsung used five years ago won’t work now,” said one industry analyst. “They’re fighting on multiple fronts — competition, supply chains, protectionism. What happens this week will set the tone for the second half of the year, if not beyond.”
With its empire spanning smartphones, semiconductors, displays, and more, Samsung’s decisions this week will ripple far beyond Seoul — influencing supply chains from Silicon Valley to Shenzhen, and shaping the broader tech industry’s response to a world in flux.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
