Lee Jae-yong, the only one of the four major conglomerate chiefs to accompany President Lee, says, "We need to work even harder"

[Financial News] Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, said on the 12th (local time) that the world’s strong interest in South Korea’s semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and manufacturing industry means that "we need to work even harder."
Lee made the remark when reporters asked whether he could feel foreign interest in Korea’s manufacturing technology during overseas trips. He was attending the "Italy-Korea Business Forum" in Rome, held on the occasion of President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit.
The event, co-hosted by the Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF) and the Italian Business Federation, was attended by more than 40 people, including business leaders, government officials, and representatives from associations and organizations in both countries.
Before the event, Lee told reporters about his ties with Ferrari, Italy’s iconic supercar maker, saying, "We supply displays to them."
He added, "Chairman Elkann is not only the head of Ferrari, but also the chairman of Stellantis, which owns Chrysler in the United States," and said, "Samsung SDI is also building a battery joint venture plant together with them in Illinois."
Stellantis is a global automaker that owns brands such as Chrysler, Jeep, Fiat, Peugeot, and Maserati.
Lee, the only one among the heads of the four major conglomerates to accompany President Lee on his visit to Italy, also attended the state banquet hosted the previous day by Italian President Sergio Mattarella in honor of the South Korean president.
A video of Lee nodding along to President Lee’s remarks and repeatedly covering his mouth with his hand while laughing spread across online communities and social media, drawing public attention.

sms@fnnews.com Reporter Seong Min-seo Reporter