The Lee owner family behind Samsung Group dominated top four in stock-rich rank in Korea after they shared the holdings of Lee Kun-hee who died in October as the country’s wealthiest man with stock value of $20 billion.

According to an analysis conducted by CXO Research Center on stock value held by 90 family members of Korea’s 60 business groups on Monday, Jay Y. Lee, de facto chief of Samsung Group and vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co. is the most stock-rich in Korea as of Friday’s closing price.

His stock worth jumped from 8.9 trillion won ($8 billion) in the end of March to 15.6 trillion won in April after he came into the holdings of his father whose stock wealth worth 20.4 trillion won was evenly divided among the four members according to the legal ratio except for the holding in Samsung Life Insurance. Of the patriarch’s 20.76 percent held in the insurer, half went to the eldest to help him tighten grip over Samsung Electronics.

The widow Hong Ra-hee makes the second in stock-rich ranking with stock value standing at 11.4 trillion won. The patriarch’s two daughters – Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin and Samsung Welfare Foundation Chair Lee Seo-hyun – each ranked third and fourth with stock value reaching 7.7 trillion won and 7.2 trillion won.

The net worth held by the family members is over 42 trillion won, which is near the 45.2 trillion won market cap of Hyundai Motor.

Kim Beom-su, founder and chairman of Korea’s biggest messaging app Kakao Corp. was the fifth richest in stock value of 6.7 trillion won, followed by Hyundai Motor Group Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo (5.6 trillion won), Amorepacific Chairman Suh Kyung-bae (4.9 trillion won), Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun (3.7 trillion won), SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won (3.5 trillion won), and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo (3.4 trillion won).

Six members were in the 1 trillion won stock value club including Celltrion founder Seo Jung-jin, Asan Foundation Chairman Chung Mong-joon, and Korea Investment Holdings Chairman Kim Nam-goo.

The net worth of stocks held by Bang Si-hyuk, founder of Hybe Corporation, formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment, stood at 3 trillion won. He was excluded from the survey as it was not part of the 71 business groups designated by the Fair Trade Commission this year.

CXO Research Center said that the stock-rich ranking could change depending on future inheritance of other conglomerates and company listing.

By Pulse

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]