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Samsung group chairman Lee Kun-hee dies

Lee Kun-hee, the charismatic leader of Samsung Group, died on Sunday (October 25).

South Korea's biggest conglomerate said Lee died with his family by his side, including his son, Samsung Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee

The news comes six years after he was hospitalized for a heart attack.

Lee, who was 78, helped grow his father's noodle trading business into a powerhouse of affiliates.

During his lifetime, Samsung Electronics developed from a second-tier TV maker to the world's biggest technology firm by revenue.

But he was also convicted of bribery and tax evasion, and his empire was criticized for wielding huge economic clout

His death leaves the South Korean family-controlled conglomerate with thorny succession issues.

On Sunday, Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee arrived at the funeral hall for a memorial.

He's been embroiled in legal troubles linked to a merger of two Samsung affiliates that helped him assume greater control of Samsung Electronics.