At a gala dinner held on the 5th (local time), the day before the opening of the Milan·Cortina Dampezzo Winter Olympics in Italy, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong (fourth from right in the back row) poses for a commemorative photo with senior political and business figures from various countries. Provided by the Office of the President of Italy

Samsung Electronics said on the 8th that Chairman Lee Jae-yong met top-level figures and global business leaders from various countries, engaging in ‘sports diplomacy’, using the ‘2026 Milan·Cortina Dampezzo Winter Olympics’ as an opportunity.

In his capacity as representative of Samsung Electronics, a top-tier sponsor of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), he attended the IOC-hosted gala dinner on the 5th. The event was attended by IOC President Kirsty Coventry; Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy, the host nation; U.S. Vice President JD Vance; King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands; Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, King of Qatar; and representatives of global companies such as TCL, Allianz, and Coca-Cola.

An industry source, regarding his attendance at the IOC gala dinner, said, “It will bolster the global stature of Samsung Electronics and also help expand sports diplomacy capacity for Korea.”

Samsung Electronics, which also sponsored the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, plans to continue its sponsorship through the 2028 Los Angeles (LA) Olympics.