Lee Jae-yong, the head of Samsung, is the richest person in South Korea in October 2026, with about $44.7 billion in listed stock alone. This list ranks South Koreans by the value of the listed shares they hold, using quarterly holdings surveys. It replaces our 2014 list, when Lee Jae-yong’s father Lee Kun-hee led at $12.9 billion.
| Rank | Name | Listed stock holdings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee Jae-yong | About $44.7 billion in listed stock |
| 2 | Hong Ra-hee | About $15.7 billion in listed stock |
| 3 | Lee Boo-jin | About $15.2 billion in listed stock |
| 4 | Lee Seo-hyun | About $14.3 billion in listed stock |
| 5 | Chey Tae-won | About $8.2 billion in listed stock |
We rank five people we can value from reported share holdings. Several other tycoons clearly belong near the top but have no recent holdings figure we can stand behind, so they are listed further down without a number.
1. Lee Jae-yong: About $44.7 billion
Lee is the executive chairman of Samsung Electronics and the head of the Samsung family. His listed holdings were reported at 59.18 trillion won at the end of June 2026, up from 30.94 trillion won at the end of March, as chip stocks surged.
The figure covers Samsung Electronics and affiliated listed companies such as Samsung C&T and Samsung Life. In October 2026 it was reported that his mother will transfer about 11.16 million Samsung Electronics shares to him on 12 November, lifting his direct stake from about 1.58% to about 1.75%.
How we valued it: Listed-share holdings reported in Korean quarterly stock-wealth surveys, converted at 1,324 won per dollar (26 October 2026). End-June 2026 holdings; Samsung Electronics closed at 213,000 won on 26 October 2026, so today’s value moves with the share price.
2. Hong Ra-hee: About $15.7 billion
Hong is the director of the Leeum Museum of Art and the widow of Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, who died in 2020. Her listed stock was reported at 20.84 trillion won in May 2026.
Her direct Samsung Electronics stake of about 0.99% falls to about 0.82% after the planned gift to her son.
How we valued it: Listed-share holdings reported in Korean quarterly stock-wealth surveys, converted at 1,324 won per dollar (26 October 2026). May 2026 survey figure, before the November share transfer.
3. Lee Boo-jin: About $15.2 billion
Lee is the president and CEO of Hotel Shilla and a daughter of Lee Kun-hee. Her listed holdings were reported at 20.12 trillion won in May 2026.
How we valued it: Listed-share holdings reported in Korean quarterly stock-wealth surveys, converted at 1,324 won per dollar (26 October 2026). May 2026 survey figure.
4. Lee Seo-hyun: About $14.3 billion
Lee is the president of Samsung C&T and Lee Kun-hee’s other daughter. Her listed holdings were reported at 19.00 trillion won in May 2026.
How we valued it: Listed-share holdings reported in Korean quarterly stock-wealth surveys, converted at 1,324 won per dollar (26 October 2026). May 2026 survey figure.
5. Chey Tae-won: About $8.2 billion
Chey is the chairman of SK Group, whose businesses include SK Hynix, SK Telecom and SK Innovation. His listed stock jumped to 10.83 trillion won at the end of June 2026, from 3.91 trillion won three months earlier, the fastest rise among group leaders in that quarter.
Another survey, dated 31 July 2026, put his stock at 7.23 trillion won, which shows how far the figure swings with the memory-chip trade.
How we valued it: Listed-share holdings reported in Korean quarterly stock-wealth surveys, converted at 1,324 won per dollar (26 October 2026). End-June 2026 figure; the 31 July 2026 figure of 7.23 trillion won would be about $5.5 billion.
Next in line (not valued)
These Korean tycoons likely sit just below the top five. We do not publish a figure for them because we found no recent, dated holdings data.
- Seo Jung-jin: the Celltrion founder; as of 2023 he owned 97.2% of Celltrion Holdings, which owns 23% of Celltrion. Celltrion closed at 190,000 won on 26 October 2026.
- Chung Eui-sun: executive chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Hyundai Motor closed at 288,000 won.
- Koo Kwang-mo: chairman of LG, who has held about 15% of LG since 2018; LG Corp closed at 98,800 won.
- Cho Jung-ho: chairman of Meritz Financial Group.
- Kwak Dong-shin: chairman of Hanmi Semiconductor, reported ninth in a July 2026 stock-wealth ranking.
- Bang Si-hyuk: founder of Hybe, and Chang Byung-gyu, founder of Krafton.
What changed since 2014
Lee Kun-hee, who topped our 2014 list, died in 2020, and his shares passed to his wife and three children. They now take the first four places. Hyundai, Lotte and Kyobo, which filled much of the 2014 list, no longer appear at the top, while pharmaceutical, chip and gaming wealth has grown.
FAQ
Who is the richest person in South Korea in 2026?
Lee Jae-yong, the chairman of Samsung Electronics, with about 59.18 trillion won (roughly $44.7 billion) in listed stock at the end of June 2026.
Who are the next richest after Lee Jae-yong?
Three Samsung family members: Hong Ra-hee, Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun, each with roughly 19 to 21 trillion won in listed stock in May 2026.
Is the Samsung family richer than the SK chairman?
Yes. Chey Tae-won of SK Group had about 10.83 trillion won in listed stock at the end of June 2026, less than half of each of the three Samsung heirs.
Why did Korean fortunes jump in 2026?
A rally in chip and AI-related shares, led by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, roughly doubled some tycoons’ listed holdings between March and June.
Why are these figures not exact?
Share prices change daily, surveys use different dates, and we count listed stock only. Unlisted businesses and real estate would add to each total.
How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
For this list we used dated surveys of listed-share holdings, shareholding disclosures and exchange rates, and we show the survey date for every entry because Korean stock prices moved sharply during 2026.
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- Richest sheikhs in the world
Last updated: October 2026.
