Samsung Bribery Scandal Threatens South Korea Success Storybr On the other hand, the economy is so heavily dependent on chaebolbr that people fear that shaking them too much might make them collapse." "South Korean people," he added, "have never had a chance to learn how a modern globalized company should be run." Jay Y. Lee’s father, Lee Kun-hee, became Samsung’s chairman after his father, Lee Byung-chull, died in 1987.br According to prosecutors, Mr. Lee met with South Korea’s president, Park Geun-hye,br three times in an effort to cement the deal and smooth Mr. Lee’s rise to power.br Jay Y. Lee,br Samsung’s vice chairman,br became its de facto leader inbr 2014 after Lee Kun-hee, hisbr father and the company’sbr chairman, fell ill. Leebr Kun-hee was convicted ofbr corruption charges twice,br and pardoned.