📈 Sale at All-Time High: The mother and two sisters of Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee are selling shares worth ₩1.73 trillion (≈ US $1.2 billion). In total, 17.7 million shares (0.3 % of the company) are being sold. The proceeds will fund inheritance-tax and loan payments.
🏛 Background: After the 2020 death of patriarch Lee Kun-hee, the family faced about ₩12 trillion (≈ US $8.5 billion) in inheritance taxes—one of the largest assessments in South Korea’s business history. The settlement is expected to conclude by April 2026.
🚀 Stock Rally: Samsung’s share price has risen more than 80 % this year, driven by AI-chip demand and supply deals with Tesla, OpenAI, and Nvidia. The stock trades near ₩98 000, close to the psychologically important ₩100 000 mark that many retail investors are watching. With roughly 6.69 billion outstanding shares, that translates to a market capitalization of about US$400–460 billion.
🧾 Market Reaction: Analysts view the move as a liquidity-driven sale to cover taxes without threatening operational control. The timing, however, is delicate—sales at record highs could dampen sentiment and momentum among Samsung’s roughly five million retail shareholders.
Big Picture
In South Korea, inheritance triggers substantial estate taxes: the top rate is 50 %, rising effectively to around 60 % for controlling owners. Payments are typically made in installments over several years. The case highlights the three-way tension between family power, fiscal obligations, and the capital market within South Korea’s chaebol system. Over the long run, Samsung’s valuation will depend less on family share sales than on its core business—sustaining margins, advancing chip innovation, and maintaining consistent shareholder returns.
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