People & Events

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee dies at 78

By Kim Hyun-binSamsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, who built the company into the nation's largest conglomerate and a global technology titan, died in Seoul, Sunday, after years of hospitalization.He was 78 years old.Late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lee Kun-Hee, chairman of Samsung Electronics. Chairman Lee passed away on Oct. 25 with his family, including Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee, by his side,” Samsung said in a statement Sunday. “All of us at Samsung will cherish his memory and are grateful for the journey we shared with him. Our deepest sympathies are with his family, relatives and those nearest. His legacy will be everlasting.”Lee's funeral service has been set up at Samsung Seoul Hospital.“The funeral procedures has been simplified with only the deceased family members and relatives scheduled to take part,” the company said. “We kindly refuse condolence calls and flowers.”Lee suffered a heart attack in May 2014 and since then he had been battling respiratory diff

Biography timeline of late Samsung head Lee Kun-hee

Lee Kun-hee, right, and his father and founder of Samsung Lee Byung-chul. Lee Kun-hee, head of Samsung Group, died at a hospital in Seoul, Sunday. He was 78. YonhapLee Kun-hee, chief of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, died at a hospital in Seoul on Sunday at age 78. The following are the major events during the life of the late business tycoon in chronological order.1942 - born in Daegu as third son of Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chull1953 - heads to Japan for education1965 - graduates from Waseda University with business major1966 - finishes George Washington University's MBA program, joins Samsung-affiliated Tongyang Broadcasting Co.1967 - marries Hong Ra-hee (who later heads Samsung's art museum Leeum)1978 - becomes vice chairman of Samsung CT Corp.1979 - becomes vice chairman of Samsung Group1987 - becomes Samsung Group chairman, announces "second founding" vision for the conglomerate the following year1993 - announces new Samsung corporate identity1996 - becomes a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)1998 - becomes CEO and chairman of Samsung Ele

OBITUARY The titan who built a global tech giant

In this April 22, 2008, file photo, Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, right, arrives to hold a news conference at the Samsung Group headquarters in Seoul. Lee, the ailing Samsung Electronics chairman who transformed the small television maker into a global giant of consumer electronics, has died, a Samsung statement said Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. He was 78. APLee Kun-hee, the architect of now South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, had been making headlines in the country's business, social and even political realms since taking over the helm of the business empire from his father for his offbeat approaches and business insights.Lee inherited the Samsung crown in 1987 at the age of 45 when his father Lee Byung-chull, founder of the present day Samsung Group, died. Under his leadership, the group has the world's largest smartphome and memory chipmaker Samsung Electronics Co. and dozens of affiliates ranging from Samsung Life Insurance Co. to Samsung Heavy Industries Co.But beyond the shiny badge of the "Samsung Empire," as the conglomerate is often called, family feuds have play

Right-wing pastor dies at 82

By Park Ji-wonPastor Kim Hong-do Korea Times fileKim Hong-do, a pastor at the Kumnan Methodist Church, the biggest Methodist church in the world, died of old age Wednesday morning, according to church officials. He was 82.Born in 1938, he is considered as a key figure behind the church's meteoric rise as one of the megachurches with more than 140,000 church members. The church was founded in 1957 named after renowned educator Helen Kim's nom de plume Kumnan. Helen Kim was one of the founding members of the church. Rev. Kim began to serve as pastor of the church in 1971, and its attendance grew rapidly under his leadership. But controversial remarks got him into trouble. In 2005 when several Southeast Asian countries were hit hard by the deadly tsunami which claimed some 230,000 lives, Kim said those countries suffered because they were not Christians. His remarks on tithes also backfired ― Kim said those who didn't give tithes would get cancer. During the 2007 presidential election, he publicly endorsed then presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak, a violation of the Election Law, leadi

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Ex-manager of Sammi Superstars dies at 84

By Park Ji-wonKim Jin-young, former manager of the Sammi Superstars. Korea Times fileKim Jin-young, former manager of the professional baseball club Sammi Superstars and “Godfather” of Incheon baseball players, died in Florida, U.S., on Monday (local time). He was 84.Born in Incheon in 1935, Kim's life was all about baseball. When he was a high school infielder at Incheon High School, his team won national baseball championships three times. He also played baseball in teams for the Korean Army and the Korean National Railroad until his retired as a player.He changed his career to become a manager for multiple sports teams including the Korea Marine Corps and Inha University since 1966 until he joined the professional league. In 1982, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League was officially launched. A year later, he became manager of the Sammi Superstars, the now defunct Incheon-based club, replacing the first manager Park Hyun-sik.After he took the post, the team was in the lead until May, but the team suspended his position after he was arrested for attacking and bea

Hanmi Pharmaceutical chairman dies at 80

By Nam Hyun-wooThe late Hanmi Pharmaceutical Chairman Lim Sung-ki / Courtesy of Hanmi PharmaceuticalLim Sung-ki, chairman and founder of Hanmi Pharmaceutical died of a chronic disease on Sunday. He was 80.He is recognized with his accomplishments in the Korean pharmaceutical industry, growing a small drug store to a mid-size enterprise logging more than 1 trillion won ($838 million) in annual sales. Lim was born in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, in 1940 and studied pharmacy at Chung-Ang University. His pharmaceutical career began in 1967, when he opened his namesake drug store, Lim Sung-ki Pharmacy, in Dongdaemun, Seoul. He established Hanmi Pharmaceutical in 1973. In its early stages, Hanmi Pharmaceutical focused on selling generic drugs and expanded its presence with incrementally modified drugs such as Amosartan.While growing his company, Lim had emphasized the significance of developing novel drugs, spending nearly 20 percent of annual sales for R&D every year. Last year, the company spent 209.7 billion won on R&D, which amounts to 18.8 percent of its annual sales income of 1.

Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup dies at 99

Gen. Paik Sun-yupPaik Sun-yup, a famous Korean War hero and South Korea's first four-star general, died Friday at age 99, military officials said.Born in 1920, Paik graduated from a military academy in Manchuria in northeastern China in 1941, and became an officer of the Manchukuo Imperial Army. Manchukuo was a puppet state established by Japan in Manchuria. Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45.Upon the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Paik was assigned to lead the 1st Infantry Division. Under his leadership, the division played a critical role in deterring North Korean troops from taking over the entire South in what is known as the Battle of Tabu-dong, one of the fiercest battles of the war.During the battle, Paik famously persuaded fleeing soldiers to stay by telling them: "I will be at the forefront of the fight. If I retreat, shoot me first."He later recalled the battle as his fiercest ever.When South Korean and U.N. forces charged northward to Pyongyang, he arrived there before the U.S. troops and planted a South Korean flag."The day we entered Pyongyang was t

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