Biography timeline of late Samsung head Lee Kun-hee

Lee Kun-hee, chief of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, died at a hospital in Seoul on Sunday at age 78. The following are the major events during the life of the late business tycoon in chronological order.

1942 - born in Daegu as third son of Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chull

1953 - heads to Japan for education

1965 - graduates from Waseda University with business major

1966 - finishes George Washington University's MBA program, joins Samsung-affiliated Tongyang Broadcasting Co.

1967 - marries Hong Ra-hee (who later heads Samsung's art museum Leeum)

1978 - becomes vice chairman of Samsung C&T Corp.

1979 - becomes vice chairman of Samsung Group

1987 - becomes Samsung Group chairman, announces "second founding" vision for the conglomerate the following year

1993 - announces new Samsung corporate identity

1996 - becomes a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)

1998 - becomes CEO and chairman of Samsung Electronics Co.

2004 - awarded Legion D'Honneur medal by the French government

2007 - participates in South Korean campaign to host the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang

2008 - indicted by special prosecutors on charges of operating large group slush funds, announced departure from management, announces measures to improve corporate governance; sentenced by a Seoul district court to three years in prison suspended for five years on tax-evasion charges

2009 - A high court in August confirms sentence on charges of business malpractice; pardoned through presidential executive order in December

2010 - reinstated as Samsung Electronics Co. chairman; Samsung reveals first Galaxy S smartphone

2011 - reportedly plays a key role at the 123rd general session of the IOC where South Korea's PyeongChang won the bid to host the

2018 - Winter Olympics

2014 - hospitalized and remains bedridden after a myocardial infarction

2020 - passes away at age 78 (Yonhap)