Death of Samsung patriarch  may loosen family hold

The charismatic businessman died on Sunday after spending more than six years in hospital

Samsung founder Lee Kun-hee dies aged 78.

Lee Kun-hee, who transformed Samsung from a copycat South Korean appliance maker into the world’s biggest producer of smartphones, televisions, and memory chips, has died aged 78.

Lee passed away with his family by his side, the company said, without mentioning the cause of death.