3. The princes’ rebellion

The Samsung dynasty’s stability faced severe threats in the late 1960s and 1970s as founder B.C. Lee navigated internal betrayal and complex succession planning. Following the saccharin smuggling scandal, an anonymous letter exposing the family's assets to the government forced a reckoning, leading B.C. Lee to sideline his eldest and middle sons due to their perceived incompetence and disloyalty. Breaking from traditional primogeniture, he ultimately chose his third son, K.H. Lee, to lead the company. Despite K.H. Lee’s reclusive nature and unconventional interests, his strategic foresight in high-risk sectors like semiconductors and his analytical approach to leadership convinced his father of his capability. This decision sparked a deep-seated family schism, setting the stage for decades of internal conflict that would eventually challenge the conglomerate's corporate dominance.