Lee Chan-hee Confirmed for Second Term as Samsung Compliance Committee Chair: "Will Review and Research Unfinished Matters to Make Progress"

"Establishing Compliance Management with Long-Term Perspective"
Third Term Begins Next Month... Until February 2026

Lee Chan-hee, chairman of the Samsung Compliance Monitoring Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Compliance Committee), who will lead the committee for the third term following the second, expressed his aspirations on the 31st, stating, "While the second term did its best to establish a culture of compliance management, the third term will take a step further by thoroughly reviewing and researching matters that could not be addressed due to time constraints in the second term, aiming for advancement."

Lee Chan-hee, Chairman of Samsung Compliance Oversight Committee. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

After his reappointment was confirmed on the same day, Chairman Lee said in a phone interview with Yonhap News, "Rather than producing visible results within the term, I will ensure that the outcome of establishing compliance management remains from a long-term perspective."

According to the business community, seven Samsung affiliates?Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T, Samsung Life Insurance, Samsung SDI, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Samsung SDS, and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance?recently held board meetings to approve Chairman Lee’s reappointment along with the appointment of Compliance Committee members. The third term will run from next month until February 2026.

The second term of the Compliance Committee, launched in February 2022, focused on establishing human rights-first management, promoting transparent and fair management, and practicing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management. In particular, it pursued Samsung’s corporate governance reform as a core task.

Achievements were made in improving horizontal governance structures, including the introduction of the 'Senior Outside Director' system last year, strengthening board authority, and increasing the ratio of female outside directors. However, no clear solutions have yet been found for improving vertical governance structures.

In August of last year, ahead of Samsung’s return to the Korea Economic Association (formerly the Federation of Korean Industries), the committee recommended three measures to Samsung Electronics and other affiliates: immediate withdrawal in case of collusion between politics and business, prior approval of membership fees and funds, and annual activity reporting to the Korea Economic Association.

The Samsung Compliance Committee Secretariat also participated jointly for the first time last year in an effectiveness evaluation that checks whether affiliates comply with compliance control standards.

Regarding this, Chairman Lee self-assessed, "If evaluation items are set only internally, objectivity can be lost, so the Compliance Committee is working jointly with affiliates. This means that the culture of compliance management is becoming ingrained." He also added, "It seems that a culture has been established where working with the Compliance Committee is now efficient."

The third term is expected to accelerate strengthening Samsung’s compliance management, focusing on issues such as the revival of the group control tower and governance improvement.

Chairman Lee said, "It takes time to move forward step by step. We will supplement what has been missed so far and take a step forward where progress has not been made."

He continued, "If compliance management stabilizes across all affiliates and internal monitoring mechanisms are deemed sufficient, I believe the Compliance Committee could be replaced by the role of the affiliates’ boards of directors. However, given the unique situation of large business groups in Korea, the Compliance Committee’s role is still necessary to ensure compliance management by top management."

He added, "Personally, I will humbly assist as a committee recommending compliance guidelines so that the affiliates’ boards of directors can perform their best functions. The Compliance Committee also plans to provide recommendations and support from the perspective of compliance management for all boards of directors of each affiliate, which work independently and professionally for the company’s development."

Meanwhile, besides Chairman Lee, members Kwon Ik-hwan, Kim Woo-jin, Yoon Sung-hye, and Hong Eun-joo were also reappointed. Member Won Sook-yeon will continue her remaining term. Han Seung-hwan, CEO of Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation, was newly appointed, replacing Sung In-hee, president in charge of organizational culture innovation at Samsung Global Research, who was an internal member.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.