A conspiracy theory about Samsung's tax evasion is circulating on Korean websites, claiming that the controlling family may lower the stock price until January next year
Analyst Jukan from Citrini stated on social media that Samsung's current stock performance is lagging behind SK Hynix, seemingly because Samsung's shareholder return plan is either not as generous as initially expected or still carries uncertainty. Against this backdrop, there is a saying circulating in South Korea that Samsung's management is deliberately avoiding bullish statements, involving tax considerations for the company's controlling family member, Chairman Lee Jae-Yong.More specifically, Lee Jae-Yong's mother, Hong Ra-hee, gifted Samsung shares to her son. It has been reported that the gift tax he needs to pay is calculated based on the average closing price during the four-month period around the gift date of November 12, specifically from September 12, 2026, to January 12, 2027. Therefore, the Samsung controlling family has no motivation to drive up the stock price before January of next year.