Samsung Electronics' TV guru Han Jong-hee dies of cardiac arrest at 63

Han Jong-hee, vice chairman and co-chief executive of Samsung Electronics Co., has died from cardiac arrest, the company said on Tuesday. He was 63.

Han suffered a heart attack over the weekend and died on Tuesday while being treated at a Seoul hospital, people familiar with the matter said.

His sudden death comes six days after the South Korean tech giant reinstated a dual leadership structure alongside Vice Chairman and Co-CEO Jun Young-hyun, who oversees Samsung’s semiconductor business.

Born in 1962, Han has overseen Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices businesses since 2022. He was named Samsung Electronics vice chairman and co-CEO in 2022.

A key architect behind Samsung's global dominance in the TV market, Han led the company to maintain its position as the world’s top TV manufacturer for 19 consecutive years.

After graduating from Cheonan High School and receiving a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering from Inha University, he joined Samsung in 1988. Before running the company’s electronics and devices division, he was in charge of the display operation.

Throughout his career, he held various leadership roles, including head of the LCD TV Lab, chief of the Development Group and head of Product Development. In 2017, he was appointed as president of the Visual Display Business.

In a leadership shake-up at the end of 2021, Han was promoted to vice chairman, assuming the role of head of the Device eXperience (DX) division. The position put him in charge of not only televisions but also home appliances and smartphones, further cementing his influence in the global consumer electronics market.

Han was credited with driving technological advancements across Samsung’s product portfolio, contributing to the company's continued dominance in the sector.

MR. RHINOCEROS

Nicknamed Mr. Rhinoceros within Samsung, he was known for his strong work ethic and determination to overcome challenges.

Until last week, Han had been actively engaged in overseas business activities.

Last Wednesday, he chaired the company's annual general shareholders meeting (AGM), where he vowed to regain technology leadership and secure new growth engines to navigate the rapidly changing artificial intelligence-driven industrial landscape.

“He played a pivotal role in taking Samsung’s TV business to the pinnacle of the global market in 2006 and keeping it there ever since,” Samsung said of Han in reference material for the AGM last week.

Han was “central” in rolling out Samsung’s LED TVs, which, along with other innovations of his, helped the company “continually demonstrate technology leadership,” it said.

Following the shareholders’ meeting, he traveled to Shanghai to attend the Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE) 2025.

With Han’s sudden death, Samsung faces a leadership vacuum.

The company’s return to a dual CEO system was intended to bolster strategic decision-making by separating responsibilities between the DX and Device Solutions (DS) divisions.

Industry watchers are now speculating on how Samsung will adjust its management structure.

His funeral service will be held at the Seoul Samsung Medical Center, with the burial scheduled for March 27.

(Updated with Han’s achievements and future business plans throughout the story)

Write to In-Soo Nam at isnam@hankyung.com

Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.