Samsung family sells 15 million shares of Samsung stock, cashing out 3.1 trillion! Reason for South Korea’s former richest man’s widow’s sell-off revealed

South Korean Samsung family once again carried out a large-scale adjustment of its holdings. According to reports from Korean media, Hong Ra-hee (홍라희) has recently sold about 15 million shares of Samsung Electronics common stock through an off-exchange block trade (Block Deal), for a total amount of approximately 3.1 trillion won (about NT$70+ billion). The move is seen by the market as a key step signaling the end of a massive inheritance tax fundraising plan that has been underway for five years.

3.1 trillion won liquidated: a 0.25% stake sold at a discount

The deal was completed on April 9, 2026. Hong Ra-hee sold the shares at a price of about 205,237 won per share, which is a discount of about 2.5% compared with the previous trading day’s closing price. The sold shares account for about 0.25% of Samsung Electronics’ total shares outstanding.

Because it was conducted in the form of a Block Deal, it means the transaction was taken up by certain institutional investors after the market close, helping to avoid excessive impact on the public market. However, the release of shares on such a scale is still viewed as a potential source of short-term pressure on the stock price.

Core reason: inheritance tax burden of 12 trillion won

This sale was not simply a financial operation, but stemmed from the massive inheritance tax issue left behind after the death of the late chairman of Samsung, Lee Kun-hee (이건희), in 2020. Under South Korea’s tax system, the highest tax rate can reach 50%. Together with additional taxes under certain conditions, the effective tax burden could even approach 60%. The overall tax amount is about 12 trillion won, making it one of the largest inheritance tax cases in South Korean history.

The Samsung family chose to pay through the “installment payment” system (연부연납), completing the tax payments gradually over five years. During this process, family members including Hong Ra-hee raised funds in stages by selling shares of companies they hold and by pledging loans. Selling Samsung Electronics shares is seen as the final phase of the entire plan.

The market generally believes that selling this 0.25% stake will have limited impact on the company’s governance structure. Samsung Electronics is still controlled mainly by family members centered around Lee Jae-yong (이재용), and the overall shareholding structure remains stable. In the short term, a large Block Deal could send a signal of increased supply and weigh on the stock price; however, analysts generally point out that because inheritance tax concerns were already fully anticipated by the market, this transaction may actually help eliminate uncertainty.

This article, “Samsung family sells 15 million shares of Samsung stock, cashing out 3.1 trillion won!” Reason for the sale by the late South Korea’s former billionaire’s widow revealed, first appeared on Lian News ABMedia.