Samsung's management intact amid Lee Kun-hee's hospitalization: official

Published : May 12, 2014 - 12:50 Updated : May 12, 2014 - 12:50

Samsung Group said Monday its daily management activities were on schedule despite the hospitalization of its de facto head, Lee Kun-hee, who received emergency treatment for a heart attack.

"We are not arranging any special meetings concerning management problems, as the chairman has not been directly involved in management affairs," said Lee June, Samsung's chief communications official. "We are continuing our usual daily tasks."

Lee, the chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., was treated for myocardial infarction, commonly referred to as a heart attack, over the weekend. Company officials said the 72-year-old business tycoon received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at a hospital near his home in central Seoul on Saturday night and was immediately taken to Samsung Medical Center (SMC), where he underwent a procedure early Sunday morning to widen blood vessels.

Doctors said Lee is getting hypothermia treatment, which prevents the generation of toxic material in blood vessels by slowing cell metabolism, before inducing the recovery of body heat.

Patients often fall into a state of deep sleep during this treatment.

The doctors said they will have to wait until Tuesday to see whether Lee regains consciousness. There were no significant medical issues overnight, they said.

The chairman's wife, Hong Ra-hee, and his two daughters, Boo-jin and Seo-hyun, are at his bedside, company officials said.

"The initial emergency treatment and the heart treatment were successful," the SMC medical team said.

The team also said they removed Lee's extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), used to provide oxygen to patients, earlier in the day, adding that he is able to breathe without support. (Yonhap)