Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| Lee In-yong, president of corporate relations of Samsung Electronics |
By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung Electronics has promoted an adviser on corporate social responsibility (CSR) to head up corporate relations in what is seen as a move to improve management transparency.
In its annual reshuffle of top executives announced Monday, the company said Rhee In-yong had been promoted to president of its corporate relations division.
Rhee led the communication teams of Samsung Group and its core affiliate Samsung Electronics. He will replace Yoon Boo-keun, vice chairman and head of the division.
Observers note that given Rhee is the only company man on the seven-member anti-corruption panel, recently launched to monitor law compliance, his promotion means Samsung is determined to show it is beefing up this program.
Just a few days after the company named former Supreme Court Justice Kim Ji-hyung to lead the panel, top Samsung executives signed an agreement to fight corruption, and monitor and eradicate all illegal activities. Lee is known for organizing and strategizing the corporate's anti-corruption initiatives.
Regarding the promotion, Samsung said it expects Rhee will actively communicate with those inside and outside the company. Given his influence on the corporation and close relationship with group heir Lee Jae-yong, it is also seen as something a local court will take into consideration after it asked Samsung to present "detailed action plans" on improving management transparency and ridding itself of any external political influence.
"Rhee is a former broadcaster and served as a leader of the communications team at Samsung's Future Strategy Office and Samsung Electronics. Since November 2017, he has supervised Samsung Electronics' CSR division. With his broad network, Rhee is expected to communicate company policy effectively as head of corporate relations," the company said in a statement.
Amid the ongoing hearings on group Vice President, Samsung made minimal changes in the personnel reshuffle, retaining incumbent chief executives.
Samsung kept the three CEOs of its core businesses ― Kim Ki-nam, vice chairman and CEO of semiconductors; Kim Hyun-suk, CEO of consumer electronics; and Koh Dong-jin, CEO of the IT and mobile communications division.
The annual reshuffle came more than a month later than usual apparently due to the prolonged uncertainties surrounding leader Lee Jae-yong who will face new hearings for alleged involvement in the massive corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.
