Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong Focuses on 6G Technology Amid Company Challenges

Seoul: Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited a sixth-generation mobile technology research lab on Wednesday, marking his first public appearance this year. The visit to Samsung Research in Seoul underscores the company’s focus on developing future telecommunications technologies.

According to Yonhap News Agency, during his visit, Lee engaged in discussions about the progress and future prospects of 6G telecoms, including their international standardization. Lee stressed the importance of securing core technologies for 6G, stating that the company’s survival and future hinge on these advancements. Samsung anticipates that 6G mobile technology could be commercialized around 2030.

The visit comes at a crucial time for Samsung, as the company recently predicted a significant drop in its operating profit for the last quarter of the previous year. The decline, amounting to a 35 percent decrease year-on-year, has been attributed to continued weak demand in its key semiconductor division. Samsung, a global leader in memory chips and smartphones, estimated its fourth-quarter operating profit at 2.8 trillion won (US$2.1 billion), a sharp fall from the 4.3 trillion won profit reported in the same period of 2022.

Lee’s focus on 6G technology occurs amidst his ongoing legal challenges. He is currently facing trial related to the 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates and alleged accounting fraud at Samsung Biologics, a pharmaceutical unit. These legal issues are seen as pivotal to Lee’s efforts to consolidate control over the Samsung group. Lee is required to attend the trial, which convenes once or twice a week, barring special circumstances.