Home > National > Social Affairs

Samsung chief's son to begin military service in rare move for family

Published: 10 Sep. 2025, 15:35

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong departs for the United States from Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center in Gangseo District, western Seoul, on Aug. 24. [NEWS1]

Lee Ji-ho, the eldest son of Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, has renounced his U.S. nationality and will begin his mandatory military service as a naval officer candidate this month.

Born in the United States in 2000, Lee held dual citizenship. He graduated from high school in Canada and enrolled at Sciences Po in Paris. He was most recently studying in the United States as an exchange student.

“Ji-ho has renounced his U.S. citizenship to fulfill his duty to national defense,” Samsung Electronics said in a statement.

Lee, aged 25, will enlist on Monday and serve in the Navy for a total of 39 months, including training. After enlisting, he will undergo an 11-week officer candidate course at the Republic of Korea Naval Academy in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang, which includes training in military drills, combat techniques and leadership. He is expected to be commissioned as a second lieutenant on Dec. 1.

While his military service had been deferred while he studied abroad, he recently chose to enlist and now holds only Korean citizenship.

It is rare for a member of the Samsung family to serve in the military, making Lee’s decision noteworthy. The move is being seen as a signal of social responsibility, rather than a succession play within Samsung.

“Many dual citizens are exempt from military service or choose to serve as enlisted soldiers, which entails a shorter service period than for officers,” said a business industry source. “Ji-ho chose the officer route, which involves serving more than twice as long.”

Executive Chairman Lee already stated that he "does not plan to pass down management control of the company to his children."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI SUN-EUL [[email protected]]