Samsung's Lee Jae-yong Tops First-Half Dividend Payouts with 72.8 Billion Won

Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, topped the list of individual dividend recipients in the first half of the year, receiving 72.8 billion won. He was followed by Chung Mong-koo, honorary chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, with 67.1 billion won, and Chung Mong-joon, chairman of the Asan Foundation, with 54.6 billion won.

The analysis, conducted by Leaders Index based on dividend disclosures from 2,873 listed companies, revealed that Lee's dividend payout was the highest for the first half of the year. Last year, Lee's mother, Hong Ra-hee, former head of the Leeum Museum of Art, was the top recipient. However, she sold some Samsung Electronics shares to secure funds for inheritance tax, placing her fourth this year with 54.4 billion won.

Other members of the Samsung family also featured prominently in the top dividend earners. Lee Seo-hyun, head of strategy and planning at Samsung C&T, received 34.1 billion won, ranking fifth. Her sister, Lee Boo-jin, president of Hotel Shilla, followed in sixth place with 31.2 billion won.

Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, secured the seventh position with 28.4 billion won, while SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won ranked eighth with 19.5 billion won. Lee Hwa-kyung, vice chairwoman of Orion Group, and Chung Ki-sun, chairman of HD Hyundai, also made the top 10 with 14.1 billion won and 12.6 billion won, respectively.