Lee Kun-hee, chief of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, died at a hospital in Seoul on Sunday at age 78, leaving a thorny succession challenge for his childrenç Trend reports citing Yonhap.
The chairman of the flagship Samsung Electronics had been bedridden since May 2014 following a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.
"Chairman Lee passed away on October 25 with his family, including Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee, by his side. Chairman Lee was a true visionary who transformed Samsung into the world-leading innovator and industrial powerhouse from a local business," Samsung said in a statement.
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.