Samsung Electronics Co. Vice Chairman speaks during a general shareholders meeting in Suwon, south of Seoul, on March 19, 2025. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics Co. Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee has died of a heart attack, industry sources said Tuesday. He was 63.
Han suffered a heart attack over the weekend and died while receiving treatment at a hospital, according to the sources.
Born in 1962, Han was widely regarded as a TV industry expert. Under his leadership, Samsung Electronics maintained its position as the world’s No. 1 TV brand for 19 consecutive years.
He was nicknamed “Mr. Rhinoceros” within the company for his strong work ethic and determination to overcome challenges.
Han joined Samsung Electronics in 1988 as part of the TV development team and played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s display technology.
He was promoted to vice chairman in 2021 and has since led the Device Experience (DX) division, overseeing Samsung’s TV, home appliances and smartphone businesses.
Until last week, Han was actively engaged in overseas business activities.
On Wednesday, he participated in the company’s general shareholders meeting, where he vowed to regain technology leadership and secure new growth engines to navigate the rapidly changing artificial intelligence-driven industrial landscape.
Following the meeting, he traveled to Shanghai, China, to visit the Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE) 2025, assessing the local consumer electronics market and emerging trends.
(Yonhap)
