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Samsung chairman sued by his nephew’s family

March 28, 2012 - 17:26 By

Samsung Electronics Co. chairman Lee Kun-hee is being sued by yet more relatives belatedly demanding a share of his inheritance from his father, Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull.

In February, Lee, the third son of the group founder, was sued by an elder brother and elder sister, over their father's legacy.

The latest lawsuit has been filed by the family of Lee's nephew.

The wife and two sons of the late Lee Jae-chan, a grandson of the Samsung founder, have filed an inheritance suit against the chairman, demanding the return of about 100 billion won ($89 million) in stocks and cash, according to their law firm Wednesday.

Lee Jae-chan, who killed himself in 2010 after a series of business failures, was the only son of Lee Chang-hee, the second son of the Samsung founder.

The law firm said Lee Jae-chan's wife claimed 454,847 of Chairman Lee's shares in Samsung Life Insurance Co., 10 preferred and 10 common stocks in Samsung Electronics, and another 100 Samsung Life stocks, along with 100 million won in cash.

Her two sons asked for 300,231 shares in Samsung Life, 10 preferred and 10 common stocks in Samsung Electronics, and another 100 Samsung Life stocks, along with 100 million won.

The legal action comes nearly a month after the chairman was sued on similar grounds by his eldest brother Lee Maeng-hee and elder sister Lee Sook-hee, who demanded their younger brother return part of the sum their father passed on before dying in 1987.

Their suits claimed their father left shares for all of his offspring and that the chairman concealed the bulk of group stocks.

Lee Byung-chull, who in 1938 founded the company that is now South Korea's largest business conglomerate, had eight children and Lee Kun-Hee inherited the majority of wealth.

Lee Maeng-hee asked the court to order the Samsung chairman to give back wealth worth about 710 billion won, while Lee Sook-hee sought the return of stocks worth 190 billion won, according to Seoul court's records.

All told, the plaintiffs in the three separate lawsuits are seeking nearly 1 trillion won of Lee Kun-hee's assets.

The Samsung chairman became South Korea's richest shareholder with his holdings topping a milestone 10-trillion won in value earlier this month, fueled by the country's bullish stock market.

<한글기사>

삼성家 상속분쟁, 차남 故 이창희씨 유가족도 동참

 

삼성가 상속분쟁에 고(故) 이병철 삼성그룹 창업주의 차남 고(故) 이창희씨의 유가족도 가세했다. 장남 이맹희 전 제일비료 회장, 차녀 이숙희씨에 이어 세번째 소송이다.

이맹희씨 측 변호를 맡고있는 법무법인 화우는 창희씨의 차남인 고(故) 이재찬 씨의 부인 최모씨와 두 아들이 이건희 회장과 삼성에버랜드 주식회사를 상대로 서울중앙지방법원에 주식인도 등 청구소송을 제기했다고 28일 밝혔다.

이들은 소장에서 “최근 맹희 씨 등의 소송제기를 계기로 상속권이 침해된 사실을 알게 됨에 따라 정당한 상속권을 회복하기 위해 소송을 냈다”며 이건희 회장이 보유하고 있는 삼성생명 주식 등 1000억여원의 주식을 인도하라고 주장했다.

구체적으로 부인 최씨는 이건희 회장 명의의 삼성생명 주식 45만4872주와을 전부 청구하고 삼성전자 보통주식과 우선주식 각 10주, 삼성에버랜드 명의 삼성생명 주식 100주와 현금 1억원을 일부 청구했다.

또 두 아들은 각각 이건희 회장 소유의 삼성생명 주식 30만3231주 전부청구, 삼성전자 주식과 삼성에버랜드가 보유한 삼성생명 주식 100주 등을 일부청구했다.

화우 측은 소 제기와 동시에 앞선 두 사건과 재판을 합쳐서 진행해 달라는 변론 병합 신청도 낼 예정이다.

이병철 삼성그룹 창업주의 차남인 창희 씨의 둘째 아들인 재찬 씨는 새한미디어 부사장과 사장 등을 지냈으며 지난 2010년 8월 스스로 목숨을 끊었다.

오연주 기자/oh@heraldcorp.com