Samsung Electronics chief unfazed by Apple lawsuit

A Dong-A Ilbo reporter met Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the basement of the company’s headquarters in Seoul’s Seocho district.

Lee appeared surrounded by 10 people, including his son and Samsung Electronics President Lee Jae-yong and Vice Chairman Kim Sun-taek.

Lee Kun-hee came to the office at 10 a.m. on his first day of work after appearing at headquarters to attend an awards ceremony for exemplary employees on Dec. 1 last year.

The chairman had hardly gone to the office for 14 years before Samsung Group’s headquarters was moved from Taepyeong-ro in downtown Seoul to the Seocho district in 2008. He had worked either at the guest house Seungjiwon or his residence in Seoul’s Yongsan district.

The reporter approached Lee and asked, “It’s been a long time since you came to the office. Are you going to come to work often?” Lee answered with a smile, “Sure, I should. This is my company.”

Lee Kun-hee enunciated “my company” clearly. When bodyguards tried to keep back the reporter, Lee asked the reporter to walk together with his arm round the reporter’s shoulder.

At an event to mark the New Year, Lee Kun-hee said, “Let’s manage the company well,” and extended his hand to a female executive for a handshake. This reminded the reporter that he respects female employees and give preferential treatment to them.

The reporter walked 20 meters together with the chairman to “Delight Shop,” a recently opened store providing a digital experience.

On Apple’s patent lawsuit filed against Samsung Electronics a few days ago, Lee Kun-hee said, “Technology can be given by a leader or received by a follower.”

Moving on to if Samsung is in crisis, he abruptly stopped walking and asked back staring at the reporter`s eyes, “Crisis?” At that moment, his son Lee Jae-yong stepped in to say, “The reporter might have asked the question because you`ve always stressed the importance of having a sense of crisis.”

Only then, Chairman Lee said, “No, (we`re not in a crisis). You don’t need to worry about it.”

Prior to his visit to the digital store, Chairman Lee had lunch with team leaders of the company’s future strategy department. Lee In-yong, vice president for future strategy who attended the luncheon meeting, said, “We briefed the chairman on our work freely while having lunch, and Lee (Kun-hee) mainly listened to us.”

After lunch, Lee Kun-hee looked around a daycare center on the first floor and the digital store in the basement.

He then parted with the Dong-A reporter and went to the lobby, where dozens of other reporters awaited a photo opportunity.

On looking around the headquarters for the first time, Lee Kun-hee said, “The building is great.”

On whether he noticed anything impressive in the business briefing, he said, “We shouldn’t listen to only impressive things. What a boss should do is listen to similar stories repeatedly.”

Back to Apple’s lawsuit, he said, “Not only Apple but also companies unrelated to us or deal with electronics are increasingly holding Samsung in check. People tend to strike a protruding nail.”

Lee Kun-hee wore a pale pink jacket when he left for London last month to promote Pyeongchang County’s hosting bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, and wore a dove-colored jacket Thursday. An apparent fan of slick clothing, he appeared relaxed with a cheerful look.

kimsunmi@donga.com