Photo: Republic of Korea / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Lee Kun-hee is, to me, less a businessman than a force who bent history. Born in 1942 and educated at Waseda, he chaired Samsung from 1987 and willed an appliance maker into a global powerhouse in semiconductors, smartphones, and electronics. What impresses me most is the sheer conviction it took to demand reinvention rather than settle for steady profits. The Silver Olympic Order and Legion of Honour hint at how far his influence reached beyond commerce. He died in 2020, but his obsessive drive is etched into the very devices most of us hold every day, which is a legacy few executives ever match.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Lee Kun-hee
- Name (Japanese)
- 李健熙
- Reading
- 不明
- Born
- January 9, 1942 – October 25, 2020
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Horse
- Origin
- Uiryeong County, South Gyeongsang, South Korea
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- entrepreneur / businessperson / industrialist / sports official
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Seoul National University High School
- University
- Waseda University
Awards & achievements
- 1990 Silver Olympic Order
- Legion of Honour
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%8E%E5%81%A5%E7%86%99
Frequently asked questions
When was Lee Kun-hee born?
January 9, 1942 – October 25, 2020.
Where is Lee Kun-hee from?
Lee Kun-hee is from Uiryeong County, South Gyeongsang, South Korea.
What does Lee Kun-hee do?
Lee Kun-hee works as entrepreneur, businessperson, industrialist, sports official.
Entrepreneur — see all → · Businessperson — see all → · More people from South Korea →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-19
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.