‘Super-investor’ Lee Jae-yong buys ₩5 trillion worth of ‘Samsung Group’ shares this year alone

[Financial News] More than 200 members of major South Korean business-owning families have acquired or sold shares in their group companies so far this year.

According to a survey released on the 28th by CEO Score, a corporate data research institute, Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, ranked first with net acquisitions of shares totaling ₩4.9524 trillion. The survey covered 222 members of owner families of business groups designated in 2026 as subject to disclosure (large corporations) whose shareholding changes were confirmed, and examined stock acquisitions and sales since January 1 this year.
On Jan. 2, Lee received 1,808,577 Samsung C&T shares as a gift from his mother, Hong Ra-hee, honorary director of Leeum Museum of Art. They were worth ₩443.1 billion based on the closing price at the time. On the 12th, he bought 7,667,100 Samsung Electronics shares held by Hong in an off-market transaction for ₩1.9206 trillion. He is scheduled to receive an additional 11,158,000 Samsung Electronics shares as a gift from Hong on the 12th of next month.
Following Lee, Kisun Chung, chairman of HD Hyundai, ranked second, acquiring shares worth ₩597.8 billion so far this year. On the 3rd of last month, Chung received 2.8 million HD Hyundai shares as a gift from his father, Cho Chung-yun, chairman of the Asan Foundation. Lee Dong-seop, chairman of Iljin Global, ranked third, purchasing a 25.0% stake in Iljin held by relatives for ₩474.1 billion on the 30th of last month.

The total value of stock acquisitions by owner-family members under the age of 20 (30 people) whose shareholding changes were confirmed this year came to ₩57.48 billion. Koo Geon-mo, born in 2023 and a member of LS Group, ranked first, acquiring shares worth ₩14.52 billion.
Koo is the son of Koo Dong-hui, CEO of LS MnM. This year, he bought about ₩600 million worth of E1 shares and received about ₩13.9 billion worth of shares as a gift from his grandfather, Koo Ja-yeol, chairman of the LS board.
Next was Cho Jae-hyun, the son of Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon, born in 2012. He acquired ₩13 billion worth of newly issued shares in Galaxia Asset Management and about ₩300 million worth of Galaxia SM shares, for a total of ₩13.3 billion. Jung Yeon-seon, born in 2011 and the son of KCC Glass Chairman Jung Mong-ik, ranked third after buying KCC Glass shares worth ₩8.68 billion.
The survey was based on disclosures filed by each group through the 22nd. It also included planned gifts and share sales expected to be completed within the year, as well as the number of shares slated for tender offers. When the transaction price was unavailable, the closing price on the date of the shareholding change was used; planned transactions were calculated using either the disclosed amount or the closing price on the disclosure date.
[email protected] Kim Hee-sun Reporter