By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung Group announced Wednesday that the heirs of the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee will pay over 12 trillion won ($10.8 billion) in inheritance tax over the next five years, but did not detail the allocation of his shares in the group affiliates ― including the crown jewel, Samsung Electronics ― to his children.
Given the shares allocation could directly affect the conglomerate's organizational structure, the issue has been of primary concern, and questions are being asked as to why Samsung deferred an announcement on how the late chairman's shareholdings will be divided.
Samsung Group has retained a web-like governance structure linking Samsung C&T, Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung Electronics. The late chairman owned 4.18 percent of the shares of Samsung Electronics, 20.76 percent of Samsung Life Insurance, 2.88 percent of Samsung C&T and 0.01 percent of Samsung SDS.