Samsung chief’s stock wealth tops $20bn amid Kospi rally

(News1)

Samsung Electronics Co. Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee has become the first individual in South Korea to see his stock wealth exceed 30 trillion won ($20.5 billion).

According to corporate analysis firm Korea CXO Institute on Wednesday, Lee’s stock holdings were valued at 30.25 trillion won as of Wednesday, making him the first individual shareholder in Korea to cross the 30 trillion won threshold.

The institute found that Lee holds shares in a total of seven companies: Samsung Electronics Co., Samsung C&T Corp., Samsung Life Insurance Co., Samsung SDS Co., Samsung E&A Co., Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co., and Samsung Electronics preferred shares.

On January 2, 2025, Lee’s stock wealth stood at around 11.91 trillion won. By March 6 of the same year, it had risen slightly to 12.17 trillion won, but he temporarily lost his position as Korea’s richest stockholder to Cho Jung-ho, chairman of Meritz Financial Group, whose holdings were valued at 12.4 trillion won at the time.

However, the table turned with the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

As of June 4, 2025, when the new government took office, Lee’s stock wealth climbed to 14.29 trillion won, and rose further to 15.25 trillion won by the end of June.

The upward momentum continued.

On October 10, 2025, Lee’s stock wealth entered the 20 trillion won range for the first time, reaching 20.7 trillion won. This came about four years and five months after he inherited shares from his late father, former Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, on April 30, 2021.

At the time of inheritance, Lee’s stock holdings—then as vice chairman—were valued at approximately 15.62 trillion won. It took more than four years for his wealth to rise from the 15 trillion won range to the 20 trillion won range.

The rally continued into this year.

On January 2, the first trading day of the year, Lee’s stock wealth exceeded 25 trillion won, reaching 25.88 trillion won.

On January 5, it jumped directly into the 27 trillion won range at 27.33 trillion won, skipping the 26 trillion won level altogether.

The figure rose further to 28.95 trillion won on January 14, and reached 29.81 trillion won on January 16, coming within 99.4 percent of the 30 trillion won mark.

On Wednesday, Lee officially entered the 30 trillion won club.

While it took about four years and five months for Lee’s stock wealth to rise from the 15 trillion won range to the 20 trillion won range, it took just 104 days, or roughly three months, to jump from the 20 trillion won range to the 30 trillion won range.

Samsung Electronics played the single largest role in pushing Lee’s stock wealth past 30 trillion won.

As of June 4, 2025, Samsung Electronics’ closing stock price stood at 57,800 won, valuing Lee’s holdings in the company at about 5.63 trillion won.

By January 21, 2026, the stock price had surged to 149,500 won, lifting the value of his Samsung Electronics shares to 14.56 trillion won.

The rise in Samsung C&T’s stock price also contributed significantly to boosting Lee’s overall stock wealth beyond 30 trillion won.

Samsung C&T’s stock price climbed from 157,800 won on June 4, 2025, to 299,000 won as of January 21, 2026.

As a result, the value of Lee’s Samsung C&T holdings rose from 5.35 trillion won to 10.67 trillion won over the same period.

On January 14, the value of his Samsung C&T shares exceeded 10 trillion won for the first time.

Hong Ra-hee, Lee’s mother and honorary director of the Leeum Museum of Art, also played a role in Lee achieving 10 trillion won in Samsung C&T stock value.

On January 2, she gifted 1,808,577 shares of Samsung C&T to Lee, accelerating the timing of his crossing the 30 trillion won threshold.

The value of the gifted Samsung C&T shares was worth more than 500 billion won as of January 21.

This suggests that without the stock gift, Lee’s entry into the 30 trillion won club could have been delayed.

Shares of Samsung Life Insurance also rose 60.6 percent from 2.27 trillion won on June 4, 2025 to 3.65 trillion won on January 21, 2026, while those of Samsung SDS gained 33.1 percent from 945.3 billion won to 1.26 trillion won, Samsung E&A increased 14 percent from 66 billion won to 75.2 billion won, and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance advanced 17.2 percent from 18.7 billion won to 21.9 billion won.

Samsung Electronics preferred shares also surged 132.4 percent from 6.5 billion won to 15.2 billion won.

“A series of institutional reforms aimed at enhancing transparency and trust in companies and the stock market has been pursued since the launch of the Lee administration,” said Oh Il-sun, head of the Korea CXO Institute. “This development, coupled with expectations for the AI and semiconductor industries, has driven a steep rise in stock prices in recent months.”

“This year is a critical period in which those expectations must be proven through actual performance,” Oh said. “In particular, the first-quarter results will serve as a major turning point that determines whether the upward trend in shares of market heavyweights, including Samsung Electronics, will continue or enter a phase of pace adjustment.”