Background
Byung-chul was the son of a wealthy landowning family (a branch of the Gyeongju Lee clan).
Byung-chul was the son of a wealthy landowning family (a branch of the Gyeongju Lee clan).
He attended college at Waseda University in Tokyo, but did not complete his degree.
With the breakup of the Hyundai chaebol, Samsung is now South of Korea"s largest business group
Beginning
Byung-chul established a trucking business in Daegu on March 1, 1938, which he named Samsung Trading Company, the forerunner to Samsung. Samsung means "Three Stars" which explains the initial corporate logos. By 1945 Samsung was transporting goods throughout of Korea and to other countries.
The company was based in Seoul by 1947.
lieutenant was one of the ten largest "trading companies" when the Korean War started in 1950. With the conquest of Seoul by the North Korean army, Lee was forced to relocate his business to Pusan.
The massive influx of United States. troops and equipment into Busan over the next year and a half of the war proved to be highly beneficial to Lee"s trucking company. In 1961 when General Park seized power, Lee was in Japan and for some time he did not return to South of Korea.
Eventually a deal was struck and Lee returned but Samsung had to give up control over the banks it acquired and follow economic directives from Park"s government.
Federation of Korean Industries
Later in life, Byung-chul served as chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries and was known as the richest man in of Korea. After his death, Byung-chul"s estate (Ho-Am) was opened to the public for tours. His collection of Korean art is considered one of the largest private collections in the country and it features a number of art objects that have been designated "National Treasures" by the Korean government.
Ho-Am is located a short distance from the Everland park, South of Korea"s most popular amusement park (Everland is also owned by the Samsung Group).
Lee Byung Chul (February 12 1910 ~ November 19 1987) - 1st chairman of Samsung. 1st wife: park du eul (1909 ~ 2000)
1st daughter: Lee In hee (1928 ~ )
2nd daughter: Lee suk hee (1935 ~ )
3rd daughter: Lee soon hee (1939 ~ )
4th daughter: Lee deok hee (1940 ~ )
3rd son: Lee Kun-hee (1942 ~ ) - 2nd chairman of Samsung.
5th daughter: Lee Myung hee (1943 ~ )
2nd wife: Ms.Kuroda (from Japan)
4th son: Lee tae Whi (1947 ~ )
6th daughter: Lee Hye ja (1962 ~ ).
