Many blame TM Roh for the cost-cutting measures imposed on Galaxy devices. But the truth is, he was merely following orders. In this guest post, Jukanlosreve takes a closer look at the man behind it all: Jung Hyun-ho.
For most people, his name might sound unfamiliar. But here’s the bold truth: he can be considered the key reason behind Samsung’s current struggles.
Who is Jung Hyun-ho?
Jung Hyun-ho joined Samsung Electronics in 1983 as part of its International Finance Division. Over the years, he climbed the corporate ladder, holding key positions such as:
- 2002: Head of Samsung Electronics’ Management Group
- 2006: Executive of the Strategic Planning Office
- 2008: Head of the Wireless Business Support Team
In 2010, he became the head of the Digital Imaging Division, a role he held for only six months before being promoted to the Future Strategy Office as the Head of the Management Diagnosis Team.
While this swift promotion was seen by some as recognition of his management capabilities, others questioned whether six months was sufficient to evaluate his competence. In 2014, he took on the role of Head of the HR Support Team within the Future Strategy Office.
However, the Future Strategy Office was disbanded in 2017 due to its involvement in South Korea’s political scandal, leading to his temporary departure from Samsung. Later that year, Jung returned as the head of the Business Support Task Force (TF), a position directly under Chairman Lee Jae-yong.
His role involved coordinating key issues across Samsung’s electronics affiliates and shaping the group’s long-term strategy. Jung is often described as the de facto controller of Samsung’s electronics business, wielding considerable influence behind the scenes.
The dismantling of the Mongoose core development team
In 2013, Samsung began developing its own Mongoose cores to compete with ARM reference cores, with the first Exynos chip with those cores making its debut in 2016. However, Jung Hyun-ho decided to shut down the Mongoose team entirely, citing underperformance.
His reasoning? “There’s no need to stick to an in-house design at such a high cost.” The result? Talented developers left Samsung, with many joining competitors like Google. Ironically, after Samsung abandoned the Mongoose project, ARM’s reference cores saw a significant slowdown in performance improvement.
Two years later, Samsung tried to revive its custom core project. But, by then, competitors like Qualcomm had surged ahead with several innovations.
Rejecting Apple's modem supply request in 2009
In 2019, Apple approached Samsung for Exynos modems during its legal dispute with Qualcomm. This was a golden opportunity for Samsung to expand its modem business. But Jung Hyun-ho rejected the request outright, saying “there is no reason to allocate Samsung’s resources for external use beyond Galaxy.”
As a result, Apple returned to Qualcomm, and Samsung missed a critical chance to close the gap with its competitors in the modem market.
A controversial legacy
Jung Hyun-ho’s decisions have sparked significant debate within Samsung and beyond. While some view him as a cost-cutting strategist who streamlined operations, others argue that his short-sighted choices have contributed to Samsung’s current struggles.
Critics often highlight his role in dismantling innovation pipelines and missing out on strategic opportunities, such as the partnership with Apple in 2019. Jung Hyun-ho’s career is as much defined by his significant influence as it is by controversy.
While many of his decisions brought short-term cost savings and efficiency, he has been criticized for steering Samsung into its current state of crisis. The dismantling of the Mongoose development team and the rejection of Apple’s partnership are emblematic of decisions that undermined Samsung’s long-term competitiveness.
His leadership often prioritized conservative approaches over innovation, leading to a significant weakening of Samsung’s technological edge. Samsung’s current struggles may not merely be the result of external market pressures. They might well stem from the structural issues and shortsighted choices created under Jung Hyun-ho’s leadership.
Editor's note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of SamMobile.
