Samsung chief hosts meeting with Japanese cooperative firms Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong attends a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Sept. 8. [YONHAP] Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong hosted an event dedicated to developing relationships with Japanese cooperative firms in central Seoul last weekend, said the electronics giant on Sunday. It was the first time he hosted the Lee Kunhee Japanese Friends meeting since becoming the corporate chairman last year. It was also the first offline meeting in Korea since 2019. The meeting, which took place in Seungjiwon in Hannam-dong, central Seoul, last week, began in 1993 with a goal to establish partnerships with Japanese cooperative firms for components of Samsung’s chips, cell phones, televisions and household appliances. Seungjiwon was often used as late Lee’s office. The event was co-attended by Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee and Samsung Display CEO Choi Joo-sun. Samsung executives and members of the meeting discussed global issues, including current economic struggles, Covid-19, the trade dispute between the United States and China and the Russia-Ukraine war, and pledged to overcome the challenges. They also agreed to develop core technologies for artificial intelligence and the fourth industrial revolution, according to Samsung. The event took place every year over the past three decades, excluding in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Late Lee stressed the importance of building relationships with cooperative firms since the competitiveness of the electronics parts determine the competitiveness of the finished products, said Samsung. BY JIN MIN-JI [jin.minji@joongang.co.kr]