[비즈한국] Samsung Electronics005930 announced on the 7th that it has reassigned Jung Hyun-ho, head of the Business Support TF (Vice Chairman), to the position of Special Advisor to the Chairman. With this reassignment, Vice Chairman Jung will step back from the front lines of management to focus on nurturing future talent. Having long been referred to as the "number two" at Samsung Electronics, his move has drawn the attention of the business world to the potential emergence of a new successor.
Currently, the only two individuals holding the title of Vice Chairman at Samsung Electronics are Jung Hyun-ho and Jun Young-hyun. With Vice Chairman Jung moving to a new role, Jun Young-hyun remains the only Vice Chairman actively involved in frontline management. Vice Chairman Jun currently serves as both the head of the DS (Device Solutions) Division and the head of the Memory Business Unit. The DS Division oversees Samsung Electronics' semiconductor business.
Vice Chairman Jun Young-hyun previously worked at LG Semiconductor before moving to Samsung Electronics in 2000. Since joining, he has primarily held roles related to semiconductors. He worked in the DS Division from 2000 until March 2017. After 2017, he served as CEO and Board Chair of Samsung SDI006400. He returned to Samsung Electronics in 2023 as head of the Future Business Planning Task Force and currently oversees the DS Division.
President Park Hark-kyu of Samsung Electronics is another figure drawing attention. In this latest personnel reshuffle, Samsung Electronics reorganized the Business Support TF into a permanent organization called the "Business Support Office" and appointed President Park Hark-kyu as its head. President Park previously worked at the Samsung Restructuring Headquarters, the Samsung Electronics Business Support Team, and the Samsung Future Strategy Office. Thanks to this background, he is considered an expert in finance and strategy, distinguishing him from Vice Chairman Jun, who has spent much of his career in the field.
The Business Support Office consists of a Strategy Team, a Management Diagnosis Team, and a People (HR) Team. President Park has thus ascended to a position where he oversees Samsung Electronics' future strategy and personnel. Consequently, while his rank is technically lower than that of Vice Chairman Jun, many suggest his practical influence cannot be overlooked. Jung Hyun-ho was called the "number two" precisely because he led the Business Support TF.
Some speculate that the Business Support Office will eventually function as a group-wide control tower. Samsung Electronics has not had a formal control tower since the dissolution of the Future Strategy Office in 2017. However, there has been a steady stream of internal opinions within Samsung advocating for the need for such a structure. On October 21, Lee Chan-hee, Chairman of the Samsung Compliance Committee, addressed questions regarding a control tower by stating, "It is necessary to strengthen corporate competitiveness," adding that "a consensus is forming among a significant number of members within the committee."
If the Business Support Office assumes a control tower role, President Park Hark-kyu’s influence is expected to grow accordingly. However, Samsung Electronics stated that it merely reorganized the functions of the Business Support TF into an office, and that it was not intended to be a restoration of a control tower. A Samsung Electronics official stated, "This activity is unrelated to the reconstruction or revival of a control tower."
Samsung Electronics had traditionally announced executive appointments in December, but for the past two years, they have done so in late November. With Vice Chairman Jung stepping down, analysts predict that this year’s executive reshuffle may also be conducted early. Samsung had previously maintained a system with three vice chairmen, but following the sudden passing of the late Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee this past March, there are currently only two.
Because of this, the business world expects Samsung to appoint a new vice chairman. Leading candidates include President Park Hark-kyu and President Roh Tae-moon. President Roh currently serves as the acting head of the DX (Device eXperience) Division and head of the MX (Mobile eXperience) Business Unit. The DX Division is responsible for the production and sales of various electronic products, including TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and smartphones. The DX Division is considered one of Samsung Electronics' two major pillars, alongside the DS Division.
Before Vice Chairman Jung stepped back, speculation about President Roh's promotion to vice chairman carried significant weight. However, following this latest reassignment, the possibility of President Park Hark-kyu being promoted to vice chairman cannot be ruled out. Born in 1964, President Park is older than President Roh, who was born in 1968. President Park also has more experience at the company, having joined in 1988 compared to President Roh’s 1997 entry, though it should be noted that President Roh joined after earning his doctorate.
A business industry insider commented, "While President Roh is widely viewed as the favorite for promotion, he is currently serving as acting head of the DX Division, so it is possible he will follow a step-by-step process of officially becoming the head of the DX Division before being promoted to vice chairman. Similarly, it feels early for President Park Hark-kyu to jump directly to vice chairman, making it difficult to predict the personnel changes easily."