Samsung (Hangul: ; hanja: ; Korean pronunciation: [sams]) is a South Korean

multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul. It comprises

numerous subsidiaries and affiliated businesses, most of them united under the Samsung brand,
and is the largest South Korean chaebol (business conglomerate).
Samsung was founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company. Over the next three
decades, the group diversified into areas including food processing, textiles, insurance, securities
and retail. Samsung entered the electronics industry in the late 1960s and the construction and
shipbuilding industries in the mid-1970s; these areas would drive its subsequent growth.
Following Lee's death in 1987, Samsung was separated into four business groups Samsung
Group, Shinsegae Group, CJ Group and Hansol Group. Since 1990s, Samsung has increasingly
globalized its activities and electronics, particularly mobile phones and semiconductors, have
become its most important source of income.
Notable Samsung industrial subsidiaries include Samsung Electronics (the world's largest
information technology company measured by 2012 revenues, and 4th in market value),[2]
Samsung Heavy Industries (the world's 2nd-largest shipbuilder measured by 2010 revenues),[3]
and Samsung Engineering and Samsung C&T (respectively the world's 13th and 36th-largest
construction companies).[4] Other notable subsidiaries include Samsung Life Insurance (the
world's 14th-largest life insurance company),[5] Samsung Everland (operator of Everland Resort,
the oldest theme park in South Korea)[6] and Cheil Worldwide (the world's 15th-largest
advertising agency measured by 2012 revenues).[7][8]
Samsung has a powerful influence on South Korea's economic development, politics, media and
culture and has been a major driving force behind the "Miracle on the Han River".[9][10] Its
affiliate companies produce around a fifth of South Korea's total exports.[11] Samsung's revenue
was equal to 17% of South Korea's $1,082 billion GDP.[12]
Contents
1 Etymology
2 History
2.1 1938 to 1970
2.2 1970 to 1990
2.3 1990 to 2000
2.4 2000 to 2015
3 Acquisitions and attempted acquisitions
4 Sold parts
4.1 Samsung Techwin
4.2 Samsung Thales
4.3 Samsung General Chemicals
4.4 Samsung Total
5 Operations
5.1 Subsidiaries and affiliates
5.2 Joint ventures
5.3 Partially owned companies
6 Major clients
7 Logo
7.1 Audio logo
8 Samsung Medical Center
9 Sponsorships
10 Litigation and legal issues
10.1 Financial scandals
10.2 Antitrust concerns
10.3 Viral marketing
10.4 Labor abuses
10.5 Price fixing

11 References
12 External links
Etymology
According to Samsung's founder, the meaning of the Korean hanja word Samsung () is
"tri-star" or "three stars". The word "three" represents something "big, numerous and
powerful".[13]
History
1938 to 1970
The headquarters of Sanghoes in Daegu in the late 1930s
In 1938, Lee Byung-chull (19101987) of a large landowning family in the Uiryeong
county moved to nearby Daegu city and founded Samsung Sanghoe (, ).
Samsung started out as a small trading company with forty employees located in Su-dong (now
Ingyo-dong).[14] It dealt in locally-grown groceries and made noodles. The company prospered and
Lee moved its head office to Seoul in 1947. When the Korean War broke out, he was forced to
leave Seoul. He started a sugar refinery in Busan named Cheil Jedang. In 1954, Lee founded
Cheil Mojik and built the plant in Chimsan-dong, Daegu. It was the largest woollen mill ever in the
country.
Samsung diversified into many different areas. Lee sought to establish Samsung as an industry
leader in a wide range of industries. Samsung moved into lines of business such as insurance,
securities and retail. President Park Chung Hee placed great importance on industrialization. He
focused his economic development strategy on a handful of large domestic conglomerates,
protecting them from competition and assisting them financially.[15]
In 1947, Cho Hong-jai, the Hyosung group's founder, jointly invested in a new company called
Samsung Mulsan Gongsa, or the Samsung Trading Corporation, with the Samsung's founder Lee
Byung-chull. The trading firm grew to become the present-day Samsung C&T Corporation. After a
few years, Cho and Lee separated due to differences in management style. Cho wanted a 30
equity share. Samsung Group was separated into Samsung Group and Hyosung Group, Hankook
Tire, and other businesses.[16][17]
In the late 1960s, Samsung Group entered into the electronics industry. It formed several
electronics-related divisions, such as Samsung Electronics Devices, Samsung Electro-Mechanics,
Samsung Corning and Samsung Semiconductor & Telecommunications, and made the facility in
Suwon. Its first product was a black-and-white television set.
1970 to 1990
The SPC-1000, introduced in 1982, was Samsung's first personal computer (Korean market only)
and used an audio cassette tape to load and save data the floppy drive was optional[18]
In 1980, Samsung acquired the Gumi-based Hanguk Jeonja Tongsin and entered the
telecommunications hardware industry. Its early products were switchboards. The facility was
developed into the telephone and fax manufacturing systems and became the center of
Samsung's mobile phone manufacturing. They have produced over 800 million mobile phones to
date.[19] The company grouped them together under Samsung Electronics in the 1980s.
After Lee, the founder's death in 1987, Samsung Group was separated into four business groups
Samsung Group, Shinsegae Group, CJ Group, and the Hansol Group.[20] Shinsegae (discount
store, department store) was originally part of Samsung Group, separated in the 1990s from the
Samsung Group along with CJ Group (Food/Chemicals/Entertainment/logistics), and the Hansol
Group (Paper/Telecom). Today these separated groups are independent and they are not part of
or connected to the Samsung Group.[21] One Hansol Group representative said, "Only people

ignorant of the laws governing the business world could believe something so absurd", adding,
"When Hansol separated from the Samsung Group in 1991, it severed all payment guarantees
and share-holding ties with Samsung affiliates." One Hansol Group source asserted, "Hansol,
Shinsegae, and CJ have been under independent management since their respective separations
from the Samsung Group". One Shinsegae department store executive director said, "Shinsegae
has no payment guarantees associated with the Samsung Group".[21]
In 1980s, Samsung Electronics began to invest heavily in research and development, investments
that were pivotal in pushing the company to the forefront of the global electronics industry. In
1982, it built a television assembly plant in Portugal; in 1984, a plant in New York; in 1985, a
plant in Tokyo; in 1987, a facility in England; and another facility in Austin, Texas, in 1996. As of
2012, Samsung has invested more than US$13 billion in the Austin facility, which operates under
the name Samsung Austin Semiconductor. This makes the Austin location the largest foreign
investment in Texas and one of the largest single foreign investments in the United States.[22]
[23]
1990 to 2000
Samsung started to rise as an international corporation in the 1990s. Samsung's construction
branch was awarded a contract to build one of the two Petronas Towers in Malaysia, Taipei 101 in
Taiwan and the Burj Khalifa in United Arab Emirates.[24] In 1993, Lee Kun-hee sold off ten of
Samsung Group's subsidiaries, downsized the company, and merged other operations to
concentrate on three industries: electronics, engineering, and chemicals. In 1996, the Samsung
Group reacquired the Sungkyunkwan University foundation.
Samsung became the largest producer of memory chips in the world in 1992, and is the world's
second-largest chipmaker after Intel (see Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Market Share Ranking
Year by Year).[25] In 1995, it created its first liquid-crystal display screen. Ten years later,
Samsung grew to be the world's largest manufacturer of liquid-crystal display panels. Sony, which
had not invested in large-size TFT-LCDs, contacted Samsung to cooperate, and, in 2006, S-LCD
was established as a joint venture between Samsung and Sony in order to provide a stable supply
of LCD panels for both manufacturers. S-LCD was owned by Samsung (50% plus one share) and
Sony (50% minus one share) and operates its factories and facilities in Tangjung, South Korea. As
of December 26, 2011, it was announced that Samsung had acquired the stake of Sony in this
joint venture.[26]
Compared to other major Korean companies, Samsung survived the 1997 Asian financial crisis
relatively unharmed. However, Samsung Motor was sold to Renault at a significant loss. As of
2010, Renault Samsung is 80.1 percent owned by Renault and 19.9 percent owned by Samsung.
Additionally, Samsung manufactured a range of aircraft from the 1980s to 1990s. The company
was founded in 1999 as Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the result of merger between then
three domestic major aerospace divisions of Samsung Aerospace, Daewoo Heavy Industries, and
Hyundai Space and Aircraft Company. However, Samsung still manufactures aircraft engines and
gas turbines. [27]
2000 to 2015
The Samsung pavilion at Expo 2012.
In 2000, Samsung opened a computer programming laboratory in Warsaw, Poland. Its work began
with set-top-box technology before moving into digital TV and smartphones. As of 2011, the
Warsaw base is Samsung's most important R&D center in Europe, forecast to be recruiting 400
new-hires per year by the end of 2013.[28]
The prominent Samsung sign in Times Square, New York City.
In 2010, Samsung announced a ten-year growth strategy centered around five businesses.[29]

One of these businesses was to be focused on biopharmaceuticals, to which the company has
committed 2.1 trillion.[30]
In December 2011, Samsung Electronics sold its hard disk drive (HDD) business to Seagate.[31]
In first quarter of 2012, Samsung Electronics became the world's largest mobile phone maker by
unit sales, overtaking Nokia, which had been the market leader since 1998.[32][33] On 21
August's edition of the Austin American-Statesman, Samsung confirmed plans to spend 3 to 4
billion dollars converting half of its Austin chip manufacturing plant to a more profitable chip.[34]
The conversion should start in early 2013 with production on line by the end of 2013. On 14
March 2013, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S4.
On August 24, 2012, nine American jurors ruled that Samsung had to pay Apple $1.05 billion in
damages for violating six of its patents on smartphone technology. The award was still less than
the $2.5 billion requested by Apple. The decision also ruled that Apple did not violate five
Samsung patents cited in the case.[35] Samsung decried the decision saying that the move could
harm innovation in the sector.[36] It also followed a South Korean ruling stating that both
companies were guilty of infringing on each other's intellectual property.[37] In first trading after
the ruling, Samsung shares on the Kospi index fell 7.7%, the largest fall since 24 October 2008,
to 1,177,000 Korean won.[38] Apple then sought to ban the sales of eight Samsung phones
(Galaxy S 4G, Galaxy S2 AT&T, Galaxy S2 Skyrocket, Galaxy S2 T-Mobile, Galaxy S2 Epic 4G,
Galaxy S Showcase, Droid Charge and Galaxy Prevail) in the United States[39] which has been
denied by the court.[40]
On September 4, 2012, Samsung announced that it plans to examine all of its Chinese suppliers
for possible violations of labor policies. The company said it will carry out audits of 250 Chinese
companies that are its exclusive suppliers to see if children under the age of 16 are being used in
their factories.[41]
In 2013, a New Zealand news outlet reported a number of Samsung washing machines
spontaneously catching on fire.[42] The corporation is expected to spend $14 billion on
advertising and marketing in 2013, with publicity appearing in TV and cinema ads, on billboards,
and at sports and arts events. In November 2013, the corporation was valued at $227 billion.[43]
In May 2014, Samsung announced it will be shutting down its streaming service on 1 July 2014,
also meaning the end of the Samsung Music Hub app that typically comes installed on its Android
phones.[44]
On September 3, 2014, Samsung announced Gear VR, a virtual reality device in collaboration with
Oculus VR and developed for the Galaxy Note 4.[45]
In October 2014, Samsung announced a $14.7 billion investment to build a chip plant in South
Korea. Construction will begin next year with production beginning in 2017. The company has not
yet decided the type of chips to be produced.[46]
In October 2014, Samsung also announced it would invest 633 billion South Korean won ($560
million USD) in the construction of a new 700,000 square metre production complex in Vietnam.
[47]
Samsung plans to launch a new set of services beginning early 2015. The goal of this new suite
of business offerings, dubbed Samsung 360 Services, is to become a help desk of sorts for
businesses IT departments. The customizable services range from technical support to security
solutions for having a Samsung employee embedded in a client's business as an on-site support

manager or technology consultant.[48]

On December 2, 2014, Samsung announced it will sell Fiber Optics to U.S. speciality glass
manufacturer Corning Inc.[49]
Samsung Electronics Inc. is expanding in Silicon Valley with a $300 million facility in San Jose,
California. The 10-story complex will include 1.1 million square feet of floor space, a clean room
for semiconductors and a "fitness center in the sky". The facility will be split between
semiconductor research and development and other sales and marketing functions. It will serve
as the North America headquarters for semiconductor operations.[50]
Acquisitions and attempted acquisitions
Samsung has made the following acquisitions and attempted acquisitions:[51]
Rollei Swiss watch battle
Samsung Techwin acquired German camera-maker Rollei in 1995. Samsung (Rollei) used its
optic expertise on the crystals of a new line of 100% Swiss-made watches, designed by a team of
watchmakers at Nouvelle Piquerez S.A. in Bassequort, Switzerland. Rolex's decision to fight Rollei
on every front stemmed from the close resemblance between the two names and fears that its
sales would suffer as a consequence. In the face of such a threat, the Geneva firm decided to
confront. This was also a demonstration of the Swiss watch industry's determination to defend
itself when an established brand is threatened. Rolex sees this front-line battle as vital for the
entire Swiss watch industry. Rolex has succeeded in keeping Rollei out of the German market. On
11 March 1995, the Cologne District court prohibited the advertising and sale of Rollei watches
on German territory.[52][53] In 1999, Rollei management bought out the company.[54]
Fokker, a Dutch aircraft maker
Samsung lost a chance to revive its failed bid to take over Dutch aircraft maker Fokker when
other airplane makers rejected its offer to form a consortium. The three proposed partners
Hyundai, Hanjin, and Daewoonotified the South Korean government that they would not join
Samsung Aerospace Industries.[55]
AST Research
Samsung bought AST (1994) in a failed attempt to break into the North American computer
market. Samsung was forced to close the California-based computer maker following mass
resignations of research staff and a string of losses.[56]
FUBU clothing and apparel
In 1992, American fashion entrepreneur Daymond John had started the company with a hat
collection that was made in the basement of his house in the Queens area of New York City. To
fund the company, John had to mortgage his house for $100,000. With his friends J. Alexander
Martin, Carl Brown, and Keith Perrin, half of his house was turned into the first factory of FUBU,
while the other half remained as the living quarters. Along with the expansion of FUBU, Samsung
invested in FUBU in 1995.[57]
Lehman Brothers Holdings' Asian operations
Samsung Securities was one of a handful of brokerages looking into Lehman Brothers
Holdings. But Nomura Holdings has reportedly waved the biggest check to win its bid for Lehman
Brothers Holdings' Asian operations, beating out Samsung Securities, Standard Chartered, and
Barclays.[58] Ironically, after few months Samsung Securities Co., Ltd. and City of London-based
N M Rothschild & Sons (more commonly known simply as Rothschild) have agreed to form a
strategic alliance in investment banking business. Two parties will jointly work on cross border
mergers and acquisition deals.[59]

MEDISON Co.,Ltd. ultrasound monitors

In December 2010, Samsung Electronics bought MEDISON Co., a South Korean medicalequipment company, the first step in a long-discussed plan to diversify from consumer electronics.
[60]
Grandis Inc. memory developer
In July 2011, Samsung announced that it had acquired spin-transfer torque random access
memory (MRAM) vendor Grandis Inc.[61] Grandis will become a part of Samsung's R&D
operations and will focus on development of next generation random-access memory.[62]
Samsung and Sony joint venture liquid crystal displays
On 26 December 2011 the board of Samsung Electronics approved a plan to buy Sony's entire
stake in their 2004 joint liquid crystal display (LCD) venture for 1.08 trillion won ($938.97 million).
[63]
mSpot, Inc music service
On 9 May 2012, mSpot announced that it had been acquired by Samsung Electronics with the
intention of a cloud based music service.[64] The succeeding service was Samsung Music Hub.
NVELO, Inc. cache software developer
In December 2012, Samsung announced that it had acquired the privately held storage
software vendor NVELO, Inc., based in Santa Clara, California.[65] NVELO will become part of
Samsung's R&D operations, and will focus on software for intelligently managing and optimizing
next-generation Samsung SSD storage subsystems for consumer and enterprise computing
platforms.
NeuroLogica portable CT scanner
In January 2013, Samsung announced that it has acquired medical imaging company
NeuroLogica, part of the multinational conglomerate's plans to build a leading medical technology
business. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.[66]
SmartThings - home automation
On 14 August 2014, Samsung acquired SmartThings, a fast-growing home automation startup.
The company isn't releasing the acquisition price, but TechCrunch reported a $200 million
pricetag when first caught word of the deal in July 2014.[67]
Quietside U.S. air conditioner firm
On 19 August 2014, Samsung said it had acquired U.S. air conditioner distributor Quietside
LLC as part of its push to strengthen its "smart home" business. A Samsung Electronics
spokesman said the South Korean company acquired 100 percent of Quietside, but declined to
elaborate on the price or other details.[68]
Proximal Data data virtualization
3 November 2014, Samsung announced it had acquired Proximal Data, Inc., a San Diego,
California-based pioneer of server-side caching software with I/O intelligence that work within
virtualized systems.[69]
LoopPay U.S. mobile payments firm
On 18 February 2015, Samsung acquired U.S. based mobile payments firm "LoopPay" - This
allows Samsung in smartphone transactions.[70]
YESCO Electronics U.S. based manufacturer of light emitting diode displays

On 5 March 2015, Samsung acquired small U.S.-based manufacturer of light emitting diode
displays, YESCO Electronics, which focuses on making digital billboards and message signs.[71]
Sold parts
Samsung Techwin
Samsung Techwin was listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 012450), with its
principal activities being the development and manufacture of surveillance, aeronautics,
optoelectronics, automations and weapons technology. It was announced to be sold to Hanwha
Group in December 2014[72] and the take-over completed in June 2015.[73]
Samsung Thales
Samsung Thales Co., Ltd. (until 2001 known as Samsung Thomson-CSF Co., Ltd.) was a joint
venture between Samsung Techwin and the France-based aerospace and defence company
Thales. It was established in 1978 and is based in Seoul.[74] Samsung's involvement was
passed on to Hanwha Group as part of the Techwin transaction.[73]
Samsung General Chemicals
[icon] This section requires expansion. (September 2015)
Samsung Total
Samsung Total was a 50:50 joint venture between Samsung and the France-based oil group Total
S.A. (more specifically Samsung General Chemicals and Total Petrochemicals). Samsung's role
was passed on to Hanwha Group when the latter acquired Samsung General Chemicals.[73]
Operations
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The Samsung Library at Sungkyunkwan University Natural Sciences Campus in Suwon, South
Korea
Samsung Jongno Tower in Jongno-gu, Seoul
Samsung Tower Palace
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance HQ
Samsung comprises around 80 companies.[75] It is highly diversified, with activities in areas
including construction, consumer electronics, financial services, shipbuilding, and medical
services.[75]
In FY 2009, Samsung reported consolidated revenues of 220 trillion KRW ($172.5 billion). In FY
2010, Samsung reported consolidated revenues of 280 trillion KRW ($258 billion), and profits of
30 trillion KRW ($27.6 billion) (based upon a KRW-USD exchange rate of 1,084.5 KRW per USD,
the spot rate as of 19 August 2011).[76] However, it should be noted that these amounts do not
include the revenues from all of Samsung's subsidiaries based outside South Korea.[77]
Subsidiaries and affiliates
As of April 2011, the Samsung Group comprised 59 unlisted companies and 19 listed companies,
all of which had their primary listing on the Korea Exchange.[78]
Principal subsidiary and affiliate companies of Samsung include:
Ace Digitech

Ace Digitech is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 036550).

Cheil Industries
Cheil Industries is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 001300).[79]
Cheil Worldwide
Cheil Worldwide is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 030000).
Credu
Credu is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 067280).
Imarket Korea
Imarket Korea is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 122900).
Samsung Card
Samsung Card is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 029780).
Samsung SDS
Main article: Samsung SDS
Samsung SDS is a multinational IT Service company headquartered in Seoul. It was founded in
March 1985. Its principal activity is the providing IT system(ERP, IT Infrastructure, IT Consulting, IT
Outsourcing, Data Center). Samsung SDS is the Korea's largest IT service company. It achieved
total revenues of 6,105.9 billion won (US$5.71 billion) in 2012.
Samsung C&T Corporation
Samsung C&T Corporation is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (000830).
Samsung Electro-Mechanics
Samsung Electro-Mechanics, established in 1973 as a manufacturer of key electronic
components, is headquartered in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It is listed on the Korea
Exchange stock-exchange (number 009150).[80]
Samsung Electronics
Main article: Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics is a multinational electronics and information technology company
headquartered in Suwon and the flagship company of the Samsung Group.[81] Its products
include air conditioners, computers, digital televisions, liquid crystal displays (including thin film
transistors (TFTs) and active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes (AMOLEDs)), mobile phones,
monitors, printers, refrigerators, semiconductors, and telecommunications networking equipment.
[82] It is the world's largest mobile phone maker by unit sales in the first quarter of 2012, with a
global market share of 25.4%.[83] It is also the world's second-largest semiconductor maker by
2011 revenues (after Intel).[84]
Samsung Electronics is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 005930).
Samsung Engineering
Main article: Samsung Engineering
Samsung Engineering is a multinational construction company headquartered in Seoul. It was
founded in January 1969. Its principal activity is the construction of oil refining plants; upstream
oil and gas facilities; petrochemical plants and gas plants; steel making plants; power plants;
water treatment facilities; and other infrastructure.[85] It achieved total revenues of 9,298.2
billion won (US$8.06 billion) in 2011.[86]

Samsung Engineering is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 02803450).

Samsung Everland
Samsung Everland engages in an array of services closely associated with the day-to-day lives and
business operations of its customers. Its business scope covers the three main sectors of
Environment & Asset, Food Culture, and Resort.
Since its inception in 1963 and the launch of theme park "Everland" in 1976, Samsung Everland
has steadily built its presence across the markets of golf, building management, food and
beverage, energy and environment. Through this process, Samsung Everland has managed to
achieve its current market standing. As a corporation trusted by the local community and
renowned globally as a pioneer in the infrastructure of life, Samsung Everland strives to help its
customers lead fulfilling lives and achieve success in their business operations by building the
infrastructure for every aspect of life including entertainment, culinary, and business.
Samsung Fine Chemicals
Samsung Fine Chemicals is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 004000).
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance
Main article: Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance is a multinational general insurance company headquartered in
Seoul.[87] It was founded in January 1952 as Korea Anbo Fire and Marine Insurance and was
renamed Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance in December 1993.[88] Samsung Fire & Marine
Insurance offers services including accident insurance, automobile insurance, casualty insurance,
fire insurance, liability insurance, marine insurance, personal pensions and loans.[89] As of March
2011 it had operations in 10 countries and 6.5 million customers.[89] Samsung Fire & Marine
Insurance had a total premium income of $11.7 billion in 2011 and total assets of $28.81 billion
on 31 March 2011.[89] It is the largest provider of general insurance in South Korea.
Samsung Fire has been listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange since 1975 (number
000810).[89]
Samsung Heavy Industries
Main article: Samsung Heavy Industries
Samsung Heavy Industries is a shipbuilding and engineering company headquartered in Seoul. It
was founded in August 1974. Its principal products are bulk carriers, container vessels, crude oil
tankers, cruisers, passenger ferries, material handling equipment steel and bridge structures.[90]
It achieved total revenues of 13,358.6 billion won in 2011 and is the world's second-largest
shipbuilder by revenues (after Hyundai Heavy Industries).[91][92]
Samsung Heavy Industries is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 010140).
Samsung Life Insurance
Main article: Samsung Life Insurance
Samsung Life Insurance Co., Ltd. is a multinational life insurance company headquartered in
Seoul. It was founded in March 1957 as Dongbang Life Insurance and became an affiliate of the
Samsung Group in July 1963.[93] Samsung Life's principal activity is the provision of individual
life insurance and annuity products and services.[94] As of December 2011 it had operations in
seven countries, 8.08 million customers and 5,975 employees.[93] Samsung Life had total sales
of 22,717 billion won in 2011 and total assets of 161,072 billion won at 31 December 2011.[93]
It is the largest provider of life insurance in South Korea.
Samsung Life Insurance is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 032830)

Samsung Machine Tools

Samsung Machine Tools of America is a national distributor of machines in the United States.
Samsung GM Machine Tools is the head office of China, It is an SMEC Legal incorporated
company.[95]
Samsung Medical Center
The Samsung Medical Center was founded on 9 November 1994, under the philosophy of
"contributing to improving the nation's health through the best medical service, advanced medical
research, and development of outstanding medical personnel". The Samsung Medical Center
consists of a hospital and a cancer center. The hospital is located in an intelligent building with
floor space of more than 200,000 square meters and 20 floors above ground and 5 floors
underground, housing 40 departments, 10 specialist centers, 120 special clinics, and 1,306
beds.
The 655-bed Cancer Center has 11 floors above ground and 8 floors underground, with floor
space of over 100,000 square meters. SMC is a tertiary hospital manned by approximately 7,400
staff including over 1,200 doctors and 2,300 nurses. Since its foundation, the Samsung Medical
Center has successfully incorporated and developed an advanced model with the motto of
becoming a "patient-centered hospital", a new concept in Korea.
Samsung SDI
Samsung SDI is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 006400). On 5 December
2012, the European Union's antitrust regulator fined Samsung SDI and several other major
companies for fixing prices of TV cathode-ray tubes in two cartels lasting nearly a decade.[96]
Samsung Securities
Samsung Securities is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 016360).
Samtron
Samtron was a subsidiary of Samsung until 1999 when it became independent. After that, it
continued to make computer monitors and plasma displays until 2003, Samtron became
Samsung when Samtron was a brand. In 2003 the website redirects to Samsung.
Shilla Hotels and Resorts
The Hotel opened in March 1979, following the intention of the late Lee Byung-chull, the founder
of the Samsung Group. Hosting numerous state visits and international events, it has played the
role of locomotive for the service industry in Korea with pride and responsibility as "the face
representing the Samsung Group" and "the hotel representing Korea". THE SHILLA maintains
elegance and a tradition of winning guests' hearts with the aim of becoming "the best hospitality
company". By joining LHW, it is on par with the most luxurious hotels in the world. Meanwhile, it
has added modernistic design elements on top of the roof called tradition, thus going through
changes to make itself a premium lifestyle space. In addition, with its know-how as a service
company in the background, it started a duty-free shop business, and has built its image as the
best global distribution company. Also, it is expanding its business into commissioned
management of fitness facilities with five-star hotels in Korea and abroad as well as into the
restaurant business. THE SHILLA promises to be a globally prestigious hospitality company that
offers the best value for money by making creative innovations and continuously taking on
challenges. Shilla Hotels and Resorts is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number
008770).
S-1 Corporation
S-1 was founded as Korea's first specialized security business in 1997 and has maintained its

position at the top of industry with the consistent willingness to take on challenges. S1
Corporation is listed on the Korea Exchange stock-exchange (number 012750).
Samsung Taepyeong-ro HQ in Jung District, Seoul
The headquarters of Samsung Engineering in Seocho District, Seoul
Samsung Engineering India Office- New Delhi, India
Samsung Japan's regional HQ at Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
The Samsung Hub, formerly 3 Church Street, is a skyscraper located in the Downtown Core of
Singapore.
Joint ventures
aT Grain
State-run Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp. set up the venture, aT Grain Co., in Chicago, with three
other South Korean companies, Korea Agro-Fisheries owns 55 percent of aT Grain, while Samsung
C&T Corp, Hanjin Transportation Co. and STX Corporation each hold 15 percent.[97]
Brooks Automation Asia
Brooks Automation Asia Co., Ltd. is a joint venture between Brooks Automation (70%) and
Samsung (30%) which was established in 1999. The venture locally manufactures and configure
vacuum wafer handling platforms and 300mm Front-Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) load port
modules, and designs, manufactures and configures atmospheric loading systems for flat panel
displays.[98]
POSCO-Samsung Slovakia Steel Processing Center
Company POSS SLPC s.r.o. was founded in 2007 as a subsidiary of Samsung C & T
Corporation, Samsung C & T Deutschland and the company POSCO.[99]
Samsung Air China Life Insurance
Samsung Air China Life Insurance is a 50:50 joint venture between Samsung Life Insurance and
China National Aviation Corporation. It was established in Beijing in July 2005.[100]
Samsung Biologics
Samsung Electronics Co. and Samsung Everland Inc. will each own a 40 percent stake in the
venture, with Samsung C&T Corp. and Durham, North Carolina-based Quintiles each holding 10
percent. It will contract-make medicines made from living cells, and Samsung Group plans to
expand into producing copies of biologics including Rituxan, the leukemia and lymphoma
treatment sold by Roche Holding AG and Biogen Idec Inc.[101]
Samsung Bioepis
Samsung Bioepis is a joint venture between Samsung Biologics (85%) and the U.S.-based Biogen
Idec (15%).[102] In 2014, Biogen Idec agreed to commercialize future anti-TNF biosimilar products
in Europe through Samsung Bioepis.[103]
Samsung BP Chemicals
Samsung BP Chemicals, based in Ulsan, is a 49:51 joint venture between Samsung and the UKbased BP, which was established in 1989 to produce and supply high-value-added chemical
products. Its products are used in rechargeable batteries and liquid crystal displays.[104][105]
[106]

Samsung Corning Precision Glass

Samsung Corning Precision Glass is a joint venture between Samsung and Corning, which was
established in 1973 to manufacture and market cathode ray tube glass for black and white
televisions. The company's first LCD glass substrate manufacturing facility opened in Gumi, South
Korea, in 1996.
Samsung Sumitomo LED Materials
Samsung Sumitomo LED Materials is a Korea-based joint venture between Samsung LED Co.,
Ltd., an LED maker based in Suwon, Korea-based and the Japan-based Sumitomo Chemical. The
JV will carry out research and development, manufacturing, and sales of sapphire substrates for
LEDs.[107]
SB LiMotive
SB LiMotive is a 50:50 joint company of Robert Bosch GmbH (commonly known as Bosch) and
Samsung SDI founded in June 2008. The joint venture develops and manufactures lithium-ion
batteries for use in hybrid-, plug-in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles.
SD Flex
SD Flex Co., Ltd. was founded on October 2004 as a joint venture corporation by Samsung and
DuPont, one of the world's largest chemical companies.[108]
Sermatech Korea
Sermatech owns 51% of its stock, while Samsung owns the remaining 49%. The U.S. firm
Sermatech International, for a business specializing in aircraft construction processes such as
special welding and brazing.[109]
Siam Samsung Life Insurance
Samsung Life Insurance holds a 37% stake while the Saha Group also has a 37.5% stake in the
joint venture, with the remaining 25% owned by Thanachart Bank.[110]
Siltronic Samsung Wafer
Siltronic Samsung Wafer Pte. Ltd, the joint venture by Samsung and wholly owned Wacker Chemie
subsidiary Siltronic, was officially opened in Singapore in June 2008.[111]
SMP
SMP Ltd. is a joint venture between Samsung Fine Chemicals and MEMC. MEMC Electronic
Materials Inc. and an affiliate of Korean conglomerate Samsung are forming a joint venture to
build a polysilicon plant.
Steco
Steco Co. is the joint venture established between Samsung Electronics and Japan's Toray
Industries in 1995.[112]
Stemco
Stemco is a joint venture established between Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Toray Industries in
1995.[113]
Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology
Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corporation (TSST) is joint venture between Samsung
Electronics and Toshiba of Japan which specialises in optical disc drive manufacturing. TSST was
formed in 2004, and Toshiba owns 51% of its stock, while Samsung owns the remaining 49%.
Defunct

Alpha Processor
In 1998, Samsung created a U.S. joint venture with Compaqcalled Alpha Processor Inc. (API)--to
help it enter the high-end processor market. The venture was also aimed at expanding Samsung's
non-memory chip business by fabricating Alpha processors. At the time, Samsung and Compaq
invested $500 million in Alpha Processor.[114]
GE-Samsung Lighting
GE Samsung Lighting was a joint venture between Samsung and the GE Lighting subsidiary of
General Electric. The venture was established in 1998 and was broken up in 2009.[115]
Global Steel Exchange
Global Steel Exchange was a joint venture formed in 2000 between Samsung, the U.S.-based
Cargill, the Switzerland-based Duferco Group, and the Luxembourg-based Tradearbed (now part of
the ArcelorMittal), to handle their online buying and selling of steel.[116]
S-LCD
S-LCD Corporation was a joint venture between Samsung Electronics (50% plus one share) and
the Japan-based Sony Corporation (50% minus one share) which was established in April 2004.
On 26 December 2011, Samsung Electronics announced that it would acquire all of Sony's shares
in the venture.
Partially owned companies
Atlntico Sul
Samsung Heavy Industries owns 10% of the Brazilian shipbuilder Atlntico Sul, whose Atlntico
Sul Shipyard is the largest shipyard in South America. The Joao Candido, Brazil's largest ship,
was built by Atlntico Sul with technology licensed by Samsung Heavy Industries.[117] The
companies have a technical assistance agreement through which industrial design, vessel
engineering, and other know-how is being transferred to Atlntico Sul.[118]
DGB Financial Group
Samsung Life Insurance currently holds a 7.4% stake in the South Korean banking company
DGB Financial Group, making it the largest shareholder.[119]
Corning Inc.
Samsung acquired 7.4% of Gorilla Glass maker Corning, signing a long-term supply deal.[120]
Doosan Engine
Samsung Heavy Industries currently holds a 14.1% stake in Doosan Engine, making it the
second-largest shareholder.[121]
Korea Aerospace Industries
Samsung Techwin currently holds a 10% stake in Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Other major
shareholders include the state-owned Korea Finance Corporation (26.75%), Hyundai Motor
(10%) and Doosan (10%).[122]
MEMC KOREA
MEMC's joint venture with Samsung Electronics Company, Ltd. In 1990, MEMC entered into a
joint venture agreement to construct a silicon plant in Korea.[123]
Pantech
Samsung buys 10% stake in rival phone maker Pantech.[124]
Rambus Incorporated
Samsung currently owns 4.19% of Rambus Incorporated.[125]

Renault Samsung Motors

Samsung currently owns 19.9% of the automobile manufacturer Renault Samsung Motors.
Seagate Technology
Samsung currently owns 9.6% of Seagate Technology, making it the second-largest shareholder.
Under a shareholder agreement, Samsung has the right to nominate an executive to Seagate's
Board of Directors.[126]
Sharp Corporation
Samsung owns 3% of Sharp Corporation, a rival company.[127]
SungJin Geotec
Samsung Engineering holds a 10% stake in Sungjin Geotec, an offshore oil drilling company that
is a subsidiary of POSCO.[128]
Taylor Energy
Taylor Energy is an independent American oil company that drills in the Gulf of Mexico based in
New Orleans, Louisiana.[129] Samsung Oil & Gas USA Corp., subsidiaries of Samsung, currently
owns 20% of Taylor Energy.
Wacom
Samsung owns 5% of Wacom.[130]
Major clients
The world's largest oil and gas project, Sakhalin II- Lunskoye platform under construction. The
topside facilities of the LUN-A (Lunskoye) and PA-B (Piltun Astokhskoye) platforms are being built
at the Samsung Heavy Industry shipyard in South Korea.[131]
Major clients of Samsung include:
Royal Dutch Shell
Samsung Heavy Industries will be the sole provider of liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage
facilities worth up to US$50 billion to Royal Dutch Shell for the next 15 years.[132][133]
Shell unveiled plans to build the world's first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) platform. In
October 2012[134] at Samsung Heavy Industries' shipyard on Geoje Island in South Korea work
started on a "ship" that, when finished and fully loaded, will weigh 600,000 tonnes, the world's
biggest "ship". That is six times larger than the largest U.S. aircraft carrier.[135]
United Arab Emirates government
A consortium of South Korean firms, including Samsung, Korea Electric Power Corporation,
and Hyundai, won a deal worth $40 billion to build nuclear power plants in the United Arab
Emirates.[136]
Ontario government
The government of the Canadian province of Ontario signed off one of the world's largest
renewable energy projects, signing a deal worth $6.6 billion to for an additional 2,500 MW of new
wind and solar energy. Under the agreement, a consortium led by Samsung and the Korea
Electric Power Corporation will manage the development of 2,000 MW-worth of new wind farms
and 500 MW of solar capacity, while also building a manufacturing supply chain in the province.
[137]
Logo
Samsung Byeolpyo noodles logo, used from late 1938 until replaced in 1958
Samsung Group logo, used 1960s
Samsung's current logo, in use since 1993[138]

The current Samsung logo design is intended to emphasize flexibility and simplicity while
conveying a dynamic and innovative image through the ellipse, the symbol of the universe and
the world stage. The openings on both ends of the ellipse where the letters "S" and "G" are
located are intended to illustrate the company's open-mindedness and the desire to communicate
with the world. The English rendering is a visual expression of its core corporate vision,
excellence in customer service through technology.
The basic color in the logo is blue, which the company has employed for years, symbolizing
stability, reliability, and corporate social responsibility.[139]
Audio logo
Samsung has an audio logo, which consists of the notes E , A, D, E . The audio logo was
produced by Musikvergnuegen and written by Walter Werzowa.[140][141]
Samsung Medical Center
Samsung donates around US$100 million per annum to the Samsung Medical Center, a nonprofit healthcare provider founded by the group in 1994.[142] Samsung Medical Center
incorporates Samsung Seoul Hospital, Kangbook Samsung Hospital, Samsung Changwon
Hospital, Samsung Cancer Center and Samsung Life Sciences Research Center. The Samsung
Cancer Center, located in Seoul, is the largest cancer center in Asia.[143]
Samsung Medical Center and pharmaceutical multinational Pfizer have agreed to collaborate on
research to identify the genomic mechanisms responsible for clinical outcomes in hepatocellular
carcinoma.[144]
Sponsorships
A Samsung display in Salt Lake City during the 2002 Winter Olympics
For more details on Samsung's sports sponsorships, see Samsung Sports.
Samsung have been the sponsors of Premier League football club Chelsea since 2005, the
sponsorship was ended after ten years in June 2015.[145]
Samsung, which started as a domestic sponsor of the Olympics in Seoul 1988, has been a
worldwide Olympic partner since the 1998 Winter Olympics.[146]
Samsung operating many sports clubs, football club Suwon Samsung Bluewings, baseball club
Samsung Lions, basketball club Seoul Samsung Thunders, volleyball club Daejeon Samsung Fire
Bluefangs, etc.
Samsung also sponsors a former StarCraft: Brood War and current Starcraft II and League of
Legends professional gaming team named Samsung Galaxy. Samsung has sponsored the team
since 2000.
Samsung Electronics spent an estimated $14 billion (U.S.) more than Iceland's GDP on
advertising and marketing in 2013. At 5.4% of annual revenue, this is a larger proportion than any
of the world's top-20 companies by sales (Apple spent 0.6% and General Motors spent 3.5%).
Samsung became the world's biggest advertiser in 2012, spending $4.3 billion, compared to
Apple's $1 billion. Samsung's global brand value of $39.6 billion is less than half that of Apple.
[147]
Sydney Opera House[148]
Litigation and legal issues
See also: Samsung Electronics Controversies and Samsung Electronics Viral marketing
Financial scandals

In 2007, former Samsung chief lawyer Kim Yong Chul claimed that he was involved in bribing and
fabricating evidence on behalf of the group's chairman Lee Kun-hee and the company. Kim said
that Samsung lawyers trained executives to serve as scapegoats in a "fabricated scenario" to
protect Lee, even though those executives were not involved. Kim also told the media that he was
"sidelined" by Samsung after he refused to pay a $3.3 million bribe to the U.S. Federal District
Court judge presiding over a case where two of their executives were found guilty on charges
related to memory chip price fixing. Kim revealed that the company had raised a large amount of
secret funds through bank accounts illegally opened under the names of up to 1,000 Samsung
executivesunder his own name, four accounts were opened to manage 5 billion won.[149]
Antitrust concerns
"You can even say the Samsung chairman is more powerful than the President of South Korea.
[South] Korean people have come to think of Samsung as invincible and above the law", said
Woo Suk-hoon, host of a popular economics podcast in a Washington Post article headlined "In
South Korea, the Republic of Samsung", published on 9 December 2012. Critics claimed that
Samsung knocked out smaller businesses, limiting choices for South Korean consumers, and
sometimes colluded with fellow giants to fix prices while bullying those who investigate. Lee Junghee, a South Korean presidential candidate, said in a debate, "Samsung has the government in
its hands. Samsung manages the legal world, the press, the academics and bureaucracy".[150]
Viral marketing
The Fair Trade Commission of Taiwan is investigating Samsung and its local Taiwanese
advertising agency for false advertising. The case was commenced after the Commission
received complaints stating that the agency hired students to attack competitors of Samsung
Electronics in online forums.[151] Samsung Taiwan made an announcement on its Facebook
page in which it stated that it had not interfered with any evaluation report and had stopped online
marketing campaigns that constituted posting or responding to content in online forums.[152]
Labor abuses
Samsung was the subject of several complaints about child labor in its supply chain from 2012 to
2015.
In July 2014, Samsung cut its contract with Shinyang Electronics after it received a complaint
about the company violating child labor laws.[153] Samsung says that its investigation turned up
evidence of Shinyang using underage workers and that it severed relations immediately per its
"zero tolerance" policy for child labor violations.
One of Samsung's Chinese supplier factories, HEG, was criticized for using underage workers by
China Labor Watch (CLW) in July 2014. HEG denied the charges and has sued China Labor
Watch.[154][155]
CLW issued a statement in August 2014 claiming that HEG employed over ten children under the
age of 16 at a factory in Huizhou, Guangdong. The group said the youngest child identified was
14 years old. Samsung said that it conducted an onsite investigation of the production line that
included one-on-one interviews but found no evidence of child labor being used. CLW responded
that HEG had already dismissed the workers described in its statement before Samsung's
investigators arrived.[153]
CLW also claimed that HEG violated overtime rules for adult workers. CLW said a female college
student was only paid her standard wage despite working four hours of overtime per day even
though Chinese law requires ovetime pay at 1.5 to 2.0 times standard wages.[153]
Price fixing
On October 19, 2011, Samsung was fined EUR 145,727,000 for being part of a price cartel of ten
companies for DRAMs which lasted from 1 July 1998 to 15 June 2002. The company received,
like most of the other members of the cartel, a 10-% reduction for acknowledging the facts to

investigators. Samsung had to pay 90% of their share of the settlement, but Micron avoided
payment as a result of having initially revealed the case to investigators.[156]
In Canada, during 1999, Some D-RAM micro chip manufacturers conspired to price fix, among
the accused included Samsung. The price fix was investigated in 2002. A recession started to
occur that year, and the price fix ended, however in 2014, the Canadian government reopened
the case and investigated silently. Sufficient evidence was found and presented to Samsung and
two other manufacturers during a class action lawsuit hearing. The companies agreed upon a
$120 Million agreement, with $40 million as a fine, and $80 Million to be paid back to Canadians
who purchased a computer, printer, MP3 player, gaming console or camera from April 1999 to
June 2002.[157]