Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Kun-hee, in hospital treatment following a heart attack last week, has been moved to a general ward on improved condition, company officials said Tuesday.

"All test results show he is stable as explained before," Samsung's communications team said. "As his conditions improved significantly, he was transferred to the general ward on Monday."

Lee, 72, had been hospitalized at Samsung Medical Center (SMC)'s special ward since May 11 for myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, and underwent a procedure to widen blood vessels.

The de facto head of Samsung Group, the country's top conglomerate, also received hypothermia treatment, which prevents the generation of toxic material in blood vessels by slowing cell metabolism. His temperature recovered to normal levels last week.

Doctors said Lee was being treated under sedation in consideration of his age and medical history. Lee received a lung surgery in 1999 and has had respiratory complications since.

Samsung has been denying fast-spreading rumors online that Lee was in a critical condition. Last week, a local media outlet reported that Lee had died earlier Friday but that the company and the hospital were keeping it hush. (Yonhap)