三星五名高管被曝随李在镕赴日，但行程目的与任何新投资、合作或决策均未获确认

Five senior Samsung Electronics executives, including the heads of its semiconductor and consumer electronics businesses, reportedly traveled to Tokyo on October 13 while chairman Lee Jae-yong was visiting Japan, bringing together the company's three executive directors and key corporate decision-makers as it expands cooperation with Japanese semiconductor suppliers.

South Korea's iNews24 reported on October 14 that the trip was arranged at Lee's request and involved management issues related to Samsung's Device Solutions (DS) division. Some executives reportedly returned to South Korea the same day. Samsung has not confirmed the purpose of the visit, and no specific discussions or decisions have been disclosed.
The group included Jun Young-hyun, vice chairman and CEO of the DS division; Roh Tae-moon, president and CEO of the Device eXperience (DX) division; and Kim Yong-kwan, president responsible for corporate management, strategy and operations at DS. All three serve as Samsung Electronics' executive directors.
They were joined by vice chairman Chung Hyun-ho, an adviser to Lee, and Park Hark-kyu, president and head of Samsung's Business Support Office.
The gathering brought together executives overseeing Samsung's semiconductor and device operations, along with senior figures involved in corporate strategy and investment planning. Kim, in particular, oversees strategic direction, capital investment planning, and operational efficiency within the DS division.
The unusual lineup has drawn attention to Samsung's business priorities, particularly its expanding presence in Japan. However, there is no confirmation that the executives discussed new investments, partnerships, or other strategic decisions during the visit.
Yokohama lab strengthens Japanese supplier ties
The reported trip follows the September 8 full opening of Samsung's Advanced Package Lab (APL) in Yokohama, a research facility designed to strengthen cooperation with Japanese semiconductor materials, equipment and component suppliers.
Samsung plans to invest JPY40 billion (approx. US$253 million) in the facility over five years beginning in 2024, focusing on next-generation semiconductor packaging technologies.
Japan is providing substantial financial support. The national government is contributing JPY20 billion and Yokohama another JPY2.5 billion in subsidies toward the planned investment, together accounting for approximately 56% of the project's budget.
The laboratory develops and evaluates advanced packaging materials and processes for applications including high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and AI accelerators, where chip integration, bandwidth and power efficiency are increasingly important.
Representatives from 15 Japanese semiconductor-related companies, including Tokyo Electron and Ibiden, attended the opening alongside Jun and Japanese government officials.
The facility has approximately 95 South Korean and Japanese researchers, with Samsung targeting more than 100 by 2027. Its local presence could also shorten materials evaluation cycles, which previously took up to two months when samples developed in Japan had to be shipped to South Korea for testing.
Japan's established supply chain for semiconductor materials, packaging substrates and manufacturing equipment makes the Yokohama facility an important part of Samsung's efforts to strengthen advanced packaging capabilities.
Tokyo research office to support long-term strategy
Beyond semiconductor research, Samsung Global Research, the group's corporate think tank, has been preparing to establish a Tokyo office as its second overseas research base after Beijing.
Initially targeted for opening in the second half of 2026, the office is intended to study Japan's economy, industries, consumer markets and government policies to support long-term strategy development across Samsung affiliates.
The planned research office would complement Samsung's semiconductor R&D activities in Yokohama, expanding its capacity to monitor Japanese industrial and policy developments.
Neither initiative has been confirmed as part of the executives' October 13 agenda.