Samsung Family to Sell $1.22 Billion in Shares to Pay Inheritance Taxes

Samsung Electronics’ controlling family plans to sell shares worth about 1.73 trillion won ($1.22 billion) as part of efforts to settle inheritance taxes and repay loans. According to a regulatory filing with the Korea Exchange, the sale involves 17.7 million shares — approximately 0.3% of Samsung Electronics’ total stake — held by Chairman Jay Y. Lee’s mother, Hong Ra-hee, and his sisters, Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun.

The family’s decision comes as part of a broader move to secure liquidity to cover the massive inheritance tax burden estimated at around 12 trillion won following the 2020 death of Samsung patriarch Lee Kun-hee. The sale will be managed by Shinhan Bank under a trust agreement and is expected to conclude by April next year.

Samsung Electronics’ stock has surged over 84% this year, bolstered by optimism surrounding its semiconductor business and major chip supply deals. The company recently struck a chip partnership with Tesla and has ongoing supply agreements with industry giants like OpenAI. Investors are also optimistic that Samsung will supply its latest high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to Nvidia, further boosting its prospects in the AI hardware market.

Analysts say the strong rally in Samsung shares — now nearing the 100,000-won mark — provides a favorable window for the Lee family to complete their tax payments. “Samsung’s 10 trillion won share buyback plan last year helped sustain the stock price, supporting the family’s inheritance tax funding efforts,” said Park Ju-gun, head of Leaders Index.

However, market watchers note that the family’s large-scale share sale could weigh on investor sentiment. “It’s somewhat disappointing to see the sale amid such momentum,” Park added. “Samsung Electronics is seen as a national stock, owned by millions of retail investors eagerly anticipating further gains.”