Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee. (image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Lee Kun-hee, chief of South Korea’s top conglomerate, Samsung Group, saw his stock value increase the most over the past five years compared to other business tycoons, a report showed Tuesday.
Lee, bedridden, held stocks worth 14.8 trillion won (US$12.4 billion) as of Friday, according to the report compiled by industry tracker CEO Score.
The business tycoon has been hospitalized since 2014 after suffering a heart attack.
His stock value jumped by a whopping 20 percent from 2014, on the back of steady gains in the group’s mainstay, Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest smartphone maker.
Lee holds a 4.18 percent stake in the country’s top market cap. Shares of Samsung Electronics closed at 46,900 won on Friday, a sharp rise from 26,540 won on the last trading day of 2014.
The tech giant carried out a 50:1 stock split in 2018.
The second-richest stockholder was Lee’s only son, Jae-yong, who currently serves as vice chairman of Samsung Electronics. Lee Jae-yong’s stock value was 6.2 trillion won as of Friday.
Other major shareholders included Chung Mong-koo, chairman of automaking Hyundai Motor Group, with 4.29 trillion won, and Shin Chang-jae, head of Kyobo Life Insurance Co., with 3.95 trillion won.
Hong Ra-hee, the wife of the bed-ridden Samsung tycoon, ranked ninth with 2.5 trillion won.
(Yonhap)
