Samsung Elec Appoints Mobile Chief as Interim Head of Consumer and Mobile Division
Samsung Electronics appointed on Tuesday its mobile chief Roh Tae-moon as acting head of the company's consumer and mobiles business, following the death of his predecessor, Han Jong-Hee, a week ago.
"Samsung Electronics plans to minimize the leadership vacuum in the DX Division through this executive reshuffle, and make every effort to strengthen global competitiveness and ensure thorough preparation for the future," Samsung said in a statement.
Roh, 56, has been in charge of the company's mobile business since 2020. Samsung said in March Roh has been "spearheading new smartphone markets" with AI phones and foldable phones as growth is slowing and competition is intensifying.
Roh will oversee the so-called DX division, which includes TVs, home appliances and smartphone businesses.
The death of Han, 63, who was in charge of its consumer electronics and mobile devices division, left newly-appointed boss Jun Young-hyun solely in charge of the South Korean tech giant as it revamps its underperforming chip business and navigates rising competition and trade uncertainties.
Samsung said the company's board of directors will decide on a new CEO later, and a spokesperson said that "nothing has been decided whether or not to keep the previous co-CEO structure at the moment."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
24-05-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Trump Threatens New Tariffs on European Union and Apple, Reigniting Trade Fears
US President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to ratchet up his trade war again, pushing for a 50% tariff on European Union goods starting June 1 and warning Apple he may slap a 25% levy on all imported iPhones bought by US consumers. The twin threats, delivered via social media, roiled global markets after weeks of de-escalation had provided some reprieve in the tariff battle. Major US stock indexes and European shares fell and the dollar weakened, while the price of gold, a safe-haven for investors, rose. US Treasury yields fell on fears about tariffs' effect on economic growth, said Reuters. Trump's broadside against the EU was prompted by the White House's belief that negotiations with the bloc are not progressing fast enough. His saber-rattling also marked a return to Washington's stop-and-start trade war that has shaken markets, businesses and consumers and raised fears of a global economic downturn. And the president's attack on Apple is his latest attempt to pressure a specific company to move production to the United States, following automakers, pharmaceutical companies and chipmakers. The United States, however, does not mass-produce smartphones - even as US consumers buy more than 60 million phones annually - and moving production would likely increase the cost of iPhones by hundreds of dollars. Later on Friday, Trump told reporters inside the Oval Office that his proposed tariff on Apple would also apply to "Samsung and anybody that makes that product," apparently referring to smartphones. He said he expected the new phone levy to be in place by the end of June. Trump reiterated his complaint that the European Union treated the US badly and restricted the US from selling cars into the EU. "And I just said, 'It's time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game.'" "I'm not looking for a deal," Trump said when asked whether he expected a deal before June 1. "We've set the deal – it's at 50%. But again, there's no tariff if they build their plant here." EU trade Chief Maros Sefcovic said the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, was fully committed to securing a deal that worked for both sides, following a Friday phone call with US counterpart Jamieson Greer and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. He added that EU-US trade "must be guided by mutual respect, not threats." Speaking to reporters in The Hague, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof backed the EU's strategy in trade talks and said the EU was likely to see this latest announcement as part of the negotiations. "We have seen before that tariffs can go up and down in talks with the US," he said. The White House paused most of the punishing tariffs Trump announced in early April against nearly every country in the world after investors furiously sold off US assets including government bonds and the US dollar. Trump left in place a 10% baseline tax on most imports, and later reduced his massive 145% tax on Chinese goods to 30%. A 50% levy on EU imports could raise consumer prices on everything from German cars to Italian olive oil. The EU's total exports to the United States last year totaled about 500 billion euros ($566 billion), led by Germany (161 billion euros), Ireland (72 billion euros) and Italy (65 billion euros). Pharmaceuticals, cars and auto parts, chemicals and aircraft were among the largest exports, according to EU data. DISPUTES OVER TARIFFS The White House has been in trade negotiations with numerous countries, but progress has been unsteady. Finance leaders from the Group of Seven industrialized democracies tried to downplay disputes over the tariffs earlier in the week at a forum in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. "The EU is one of Trump's least favorite regions, and he does not seem to have good relations with its leaders, which increases the chance of a prolonged trade war between the two," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB. Talks with Japan appeared less fraught. After meeting separately with Lutnick and Greer on Friday, Japan's top trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, said the two sides discussed expanding trade, non-tariff barriers and economic security issues. He described their talks as franker and more in-depth than before. Speaking to reporters, Akazawa said that while it would be great if an agreement could be reached when Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meet at the Group of Seven summit next month in Canada, he would not rush just to secure a deal. "Our country has national interests that must be protected, so it is not sufficient simply to forge an agreement quickly," Akazawa said. "As a negotiator, I can tell you that in negotiations the party stuck to a deadline usually loses." US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would not comment on other potential trade deals, but said on Fox News that there would be more announced as the end of the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs approaches in July. Apple declined to comment on Trump's threat, which would reverse exclusions he granted on smartphones and other electronics imported largely from China in a break for Big Tech firms that sell consumer goods. Apple shares fell 3% after Trump said in an early Truth Social post that he told company CEO Tim Cook "long ago" that "I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else." Cook and Trump met on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the situation. Apple is speeding up plans to make most iPhones sold in the United States at factories in India by the end of 2026 to navigate potentially higher tariffs in China. But the odds on moving production to the US are slimmer. In February, Apple said it will spend $500 billion over four years in nine American states, but that investment was not intended to bring iPhone manufacturing to the US. "It is hard to imagine that Apple can be fully compliant with this request from the president in the next 3-5 years," D.A. Davidson & Co analyst Gil Luria said.
Saudi Gazette
14-05-2025
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia to launch first space weather satellite under Artemis II mission
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has signed a landmark agreement with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to launch its first satellite dedicated to studying space weather, under the Artemis II mission. The deal marks a new milestone in Saudi–US scientific cooperation and reinforces the Kingdom's role in global space exploration initiatives. Signed during the official visit of US President Donald Trump to Riyadh, the agreement builds upon the broader US–Saudi space cooperation framework formalized in July 2024 and reflects the growing strength of bilateral ties in science, technology, and innovation. The mission, led by the Saudi Space Agency (SSA), underscores Saudi Arabia's commitment to the Artemis Accords — an international framework promoting peaceful and collaborative exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The new satellite will collect high-resolution data on solar activity and its effects on Earth's magnetic field, contributing to global efforts to protect astronauts, improve satellite navigation and communications, and enhance space weather forecasting. The initiative falls under the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), a Vision 2030 realization program aimed at advancing domestic industrial content and building national expertise in strategic technologies. It also aligns with the Kingdom's goal of becoming a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy and bolstering local talent in the growing space sector.
Leaders
13-05-2025
- Leaders
Syria Welcomes Trump's Statement on Possible Relief of Sanctions
Syria has welcomed the US President Donald Trump's remarks regarding the possibility of reliving sanctions on Syria as the new government seeks to reshape its international status after a decade of civil war, AFP reported. Trump's Remarks 'We are going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start,' Mr Trump told journalists at the White House. These remarks came ahead of his scheduled Gulf tour and the first official visit abroad of his second presidency. 'Encouraging Step' Syria described this move as 'an encouraging step towards alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people,' according to the Syrian Foreign Ministry. 'The Syrian people aspire to a full lifting of these sanctions, as part of broader measures that support peace and prosperity in both Syria and the region,' it added. The Syrian government has been seeking to strengthen ties with European countries and the US for the sake of lifting sanctions. However, Trump's administration has not officially recognized Syria's government, led by President Ahmad Al Sharaa. UK Lifts Sanctions Last month, the British government lifted sanctions on Syria's interior and defense ministries marking the latest easing of sanctions following Assad's fall from power. Syria's General Intelligence Directorate, Air Force Intelligence Agency and National Security Bureau were also emitted from the list of entities subject to financial sanctions by the U.K, according to Reuters. Such sanctions were primarily due to the repression of civilian population or 'supporting or benefiting from the Syrian regime.' In this regard, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa stated that lifting sanctions would prevent another civil war in Syria. 'Any chaos in Syria will damage not just neighboring countries but the whole world,' Al-Sharaa said. New Chapter with South Korea In a remarkable milestone in the Syrian foreign policy, Syria and South Korea has recently unfolded a new chapter of diplomatic relations, according to Arab News. A high-level delegation from South Korea has visited Syria and held several meetings with Senior officials in Syria. The Korean delegation met with Syria's President Al-Sharaa at the People's Palace in the Syrian capital. During the visit, Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad Al-Shaibani signed an agreement with his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, in Damascus to establish diplomatic ties between both countries. The new agreement would unleash new horizons of cooperation between Syria and Korea, open embassies and exchange diplomatic missions between both countries. Importantly, this cooperation seeks to restore Syria's international standing that has collapsed because of the policies of the former Assad regime. Related Topics: LIVE: President Trump Begins Gulf Tour with Visit to Saudi Arabia Video: Saudi Crown Prince Receives Trump in Riyadh No Decentralization: Syria Warns Kurds against Delay in Integrating into State Short link : Post Views: 1
