Samsung Electronics announces new senior executives

SEOUL — Samsung Electronics, South Korea's tech behemoth, on Thursday announced new senior executives for the country's biggest family-controlled conglomerate, where Chairman Lee Kun-hee was hospitalized for long and Vice-Chairman Lee Jae-yong was behind bars over corruption charges.

Samsung said in a statement that former heads of Samsung's three divisions were promoted in recognition of their contribution to the company's success.

Kwon Oh-hyun, a former vice-chairman and head of the device solutions (DS) division, was named chairman of the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, the company's primary research center of components and materials, for his expertise.

Yoon Boo-keun, a former president and head of the consumer electronics (CE) unit, was appointed as vice-chairman responsible for external corporate relations.

Shin Jong-kyun, a former president and head of the IT & mobile communications (IM) division, was promoted to vice-chairman responsible for nurturing Samsung's future leaders.

The promotion came amid worry about the leadership vacuum, caused by Chairman Lee who has been hospitalized for about three and a half years and Vice-Chairman Lee, the chairman's only son and heir apparent, who was in jail over his involvement in a corruption scandal embroiling impeached President Park Geun-hye.

Kim Ki-nam, a newly appointed head of the DS division, will additionally serve as chief executive of the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, according to the statement.

President Kim Hyun-suk, a new head of the CE division, will lead the digital appliance business as well as Samsung Research, which was created by combining the company's main hardware and software research centers. It marked the first time a chief executive directly oversees the research center, Samsung said.

Koh Dong-jin, a new head of the IM unit, will continue to lead the mobile communications business, which makes smartphones, Samsung said.

In addition, seven executive vice-presidents were promoted to presidents to shift the leadership generation.