[Edaily Reporter SOYEON KIM ] SamsungElectronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee has been engaging in a series of meetings with global political and business leaders in London, UK, as he works to strengthen his global network through private diplomacy. While promoting Korean culture through the cultural legacy of the late Chairman Lee Kun-Hee, he also met with CEOs of global companies and executives from key semiconductor partners to expand opportunities for future business collaboration.

◇ The Entire Samsung Family in Attendance… “Lee Kun-Hee Collection” Opens at the British Museum

According to Samsung on the 1st, Chairman Lee attended a gala dinner on the 30th of last month (local time) to mark the opening of the special exhibition “Korea: A 2,000-Year Journey of Creativity” at the British Museum in London. The event was attended by the Samsung family, including Chairman Lee, Hong Ra-hee, Honorary Director of the Leeum Museum of Art; Lee Boo-jin, President of HotelShilla; and Lee Seo-hyun, President of SAMSUNG C&T CORPORATION.

The “Lee Kun-Hee Collection,” donated to the nation by the late Chairman Lee and his family, will be on display at the British Museum until January 31 of next year. This marks the first large-scale special exhibition of Korean art at the British Museum in 42 years, since 1984.

The gala event served as a venue for private diplomacy, bringing together key figures from global political, business, and cultural circles through the lens of Korean cultural heritage. Princess Anne of the British Royal Family attended the reception held prior to the gala dinner to celebrate the opening of the special exhibition, while the gala dinner was attended by approximately 240 guests, including British political and government officials, executives from global corporations, and leading figures from the cultural sector.

◇ CEOs of Key Semiconductor Partners Attend… Strengthening Global Networks

A large number of key global partners collaborating with SamsungElectronics in the semiconductor business also attended. Among those present were Christophe Fouquet, CEO of ASML; Kai Beckmann, CEO of Merck; Andreas Feher, CEO of Zeiss; and Patrick Vandenameele, CEO of IMEC. Chairman Lee strengthened business partnerships by engaging directly with the leaders of key companies and institutions in the global semiconductor supply chain.

ASML is a key partner that supplies extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment, which is essential for cutting-edge semiconductor production. Merck, Zeiss, and IMEC are also collaborating with SamsungElectronics in the fields of semiconductor materials, optics, and next-generation technologies.

In the UK, the event was attended by executives from major companies such as BT Group, Vodafone, and Standard Chartered, as well as political and business figures including John Healey, Minister of Finance; Kanishka Narayan, Minister for AI; and Oliver Dowden, former Deputy Prime Minister.

◇ Chairman Lee Expresses Gratitude to Korean War Veterans… Reflects on 140 Years of Korea-UK Ties

In his remarks at the gala dinner, Chairman Lee emphasized the ties between Korea and the UK, which have spanned over 140 years. Samsung, too, has expanded its business by establishing the UK as a key hub for its European operations over the past 50 years, following its initial engagement with the UK some 80 years ago.

Chairman Lee introduced the philosophy of preserving and sharing cultural heritage, a tradition passed down from founding Chairman Lee Byung-chul and former Chairman Lee Kun-Hee. “Our family has upheld the principle that art and culture must be preserved and shared across generations,” Chairman Lee said. “I hope this exhibition will serve as an opportunity to understand Korea’s creativity and cultural heritage spanning 2,000 years.”

The exhibition was jointly organized by the National Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the British Museum. It showcases major works from the Lee Kun-Hee Collection—comprising some 23,000 pieces donated to the state by the late chairman’s family—including 10 National Treasures and 13 Treasures. Works such as “The Magpie and the Tiger” and Lee Jung-seop’s “The Bound People” are also being unveiled for the first time in this exhibition.

The business community views this as a move by Chairman Lee to carry on the late chairman’s spirit of donating cultural heritage while simultaneously strengthening his global network. Through cultural diplomacy—which promotes the value of Korean culture to the world—he is continuing to engage with political and business figures from various countries, as well as executives from global corporations.

The first overseas touring exhibition, which began in Washington, D.C., last November, attracted approximately 80,000 visitors, setting a record for the highest attendance among the museum’s special exhibitions over the past decade. The Chicago exhibition, held from March to July of this year, also drew approximately 115,000 visitors.