Samsung family hosts gala for Korean art show

On Jan. 28, at the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building in Washington, members of the Lee family that controls Samsung and senior Samsung Electronics executives arrived around 5 p.m. local time despite the frigid weather.

They were in Washington to attend a gala dinner marking the closing of “Treasures of Korea: Collected, Cherished, Shared,” the first overseas touring exhibition featuring works donated by the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, known as the Lee Kun-hee Collection. It marked the first overseas gathering of the Samsung chairman’s family and top executives since the company’s 1993 Frankfurt Declaration on its “New Management” initiative.

The event also functioned as a platform for private-sector diplomacy, promoting Korean art while strengthening global business networks. About 250 political and business leaders attended, including U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

● 'Samsung’s commitment to preserving Korean heritage is firm'

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong said it was a great honor to present the exhibition in Washington, the U.S. capital, and expressed hope that it would help bring the people of South Korea-U.S. closer together.

He said Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull and former Chairman Lee Kun-hee shared a strong commitment to preserving Korean cultural heritage, and that Hong Ra-hee, honorary director of the Leeum Museum of Art, broadened and diversified the collection from ancient artifacts to modern and contemporary works. He added that the Samsung family’s multigenerational efforts to safeguard cultural heritage made the exhibition possible. Lee also thanked four U.S. veterans of the Korean War who attended, saying South Korea’s current prosperity would not have been possible without their sacrifice.

Members of the Samsung family and leading figures from South Korea-U.S. political and business circles were present. Hong Ra-hee, wearing a hanbok, arrived with her daughter Lee Seo-hyun, president of Samsung C&T, and her son-in-law Kim Jae-yeol, president of Samsung Global Research. Hotel Shilla President Lee Boo-jin attended with her son.

U.S. attendees included Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, all part of the Donald Trump administration. Lawmakers from both parties also attended. Republicans included Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, where Samsung Electronics operates a major plant, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. Democrats included Sen. Andy Kim, the first Korean American elected to the U.S. Senate, and Sen. Chris Coons.

Scott said the traveling exhibition shows that the South Korea-U.S. alliance rests not only on economic ties but also on shared values and shared stories. Kim said bilateral relations continue to deepen through investment by companies such as Samsung and broader cooperation between the two countries, adding that he was glad people across the United States can view the collection brought by the Samsung family.

Business leaders from both countries also attended, including Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, Corning Chairman Wendell Weeks, Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang, Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson and Flagship Pioneering CEO Noubar Afeyan.

Trump recently said the United States would raise reciprocal and auto sector tariffs on South Korea from 15 percent to 25 percent, drawing attention to the fact that Lutnick, Lee Jae-yong and Chung Eui-sun attended the same event. Lutnick is reported to have stressed the importance of South Korean investment in the United States in his congratulatory remarks.

● Lee Kun-hee Collection to travel to Chicago and London

The Lee Kun-hee Collection special exhibition, which opened Nov. 15 at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, features major works from the National Museum of Korea, including seven national treasures and 15 treasures that represent Korean cultural heritage. They include Jeong Seon’s “Clearing After Rain on Mount Inwang,” a gilt bronze standing Buddha triad from the Three Kingdoms period and Goryeo celadon. The exhibition also presents 24 modern and contemporary works by artists including Park Saeng-kwang, Lee Ungno, Park Soo-keun and Kim Whanki.

The exhibition drew 15,000 visitors in its first month, about 25 percent more than comparable special exhibitions of similar scale. Total attendance is expected to reach about 65,000 by its closing on Feb. 1. After concluding in Washington, it will travel to the Art Institute of Chicago from March 7 to July 5 and the British Museum in London from Sept. 10 to Jan. 10, 2027.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com