shinsegae was originally part of the samsung group "chaebol", separated in the 1990s from the samsung group along with cj group (food/chemicals/entertainment), saehan group (electronic media/apparel/textiles), and the hansol group (paper/telecom). the chairman lee myung-hee is the daughter of samsung founder lee byung-chull and younger sister of the chairman of samsung electronics lee kun-hee.