Samsung is a South Korean multinational conglomerate with a wide array of businesses, most operating under the Samsung brand. Founded by Lee Byung-chul on March 1, 1938, as a grocery trading store, Samsung initially traded noodles and other locally produced goods, exporting them to China. Over the next three decades, the company diversified into sectors including food processing, textiles, insurance, securities, and retail. In the late 1960s, Samsung entered the electronics industry, followed by construction and shipbuilding in the mid-1970s. Samsung's name roughly translates to "three stars" in Korean.
Samsung Electronics, established on January 13, 1969, is the pinnacle of the Samsung chaebol. The company is a global leader in electronics, consumer electronics, semiconductors, computer hardware, and telecommunications. Key people in leadership include Lee Jae-yong as Executive Chairman, Shin Je-Yoon as Chairman of the Board and Independent Director, Jun Young-Hyun as Vice Chairman and CEO, and Roh Tae-Moon as President and CEO. The company operates under two core divisions: Device eXperience (DX) and Device Solutions (DS). Samsung's global smartphone market share was 19.9% as of mid-2025. Recent news includes the announcement of new AI-driven smartphone experiences and touting its HBM4 technology advantage.