Samsung Group, the country`s biggest conglomerate, plans to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of its late founder Lee Byung-chull, in a slew of cultural and academic events, group officials said yesterday.
The conglomerate, which owns Samsung Electronics, Asia`s most valuable tech firm, will hold concerts, forums and publish books to mark Lee`s birth anniversary, which falls on Feb. 12.
Lee established a small trading firm in 1938 and turned it into one of Korea`s biggest conglomerates. He is also credited with contributing to the country`s economic growth. After his death in 1987, his third son Lee Kun-hee took over, leading the company before stepping down in 2007.
A concert will be held for the family members of Samsung Group and conglomerates that were spun off from Samsung -- Shinsegae Group, CJ Group and Hansol Group -- as well as some executives and employees of those conglomerates.
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The event, which will feature soprano Jo Su-mi and violinist Kim Jee-yun, pianist Kim Young-ho and the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, will be held on Feb. 4 at Hoam Art Hall, which was named after Lee`s pen name Ho-Am.
The following day, Samsung will hold a ceremony to mark the birth of Lee, bringing together members of the Lee family and presidents of affiliates of Samsung, Shinsegae, CJ and Hansol, as well as other business figures.
An exhibition will separately take place between Feb. 4-9, featuring the pictures and words of the late Lee.
On Feb. 10, an academic forum will take place under the theme of "Growth of the Korean economy and entrepreneurship" at Shilla Hotel in Seoul. Harvard Business School professor Tarun Khanna will deliver a lecture on the growth of the Korean economy and roles of entrepreneurs, while professors from France`s Sorbonne university, Japan`s Keio University and Korea`s Seoul National University will also give separate lectures on Lee`s management philosophy and other topics.
Samsung will also publish a book on Lee`s pictures and words, and a biography, authored by a former Seoul foreign correspondent from Japan`s Nikkei newspaper, in both Korean and Japanese.
For students, "Roll model series for the youth -- Lee Byung-chull" will be also released.
On Feb. 9, an awarding ceremony will also take place for "Samsung filial piety award" which was created by the late Lee in 1975.
Samsung also plan various events such as concerts in Euiryeong, the birth place of Lee, and Daegu, where Samsung was founded.
(hjjin@heraldcorp.com)




By Jin Hyun-joo