Three Get The Axe But Samsung Chief J.K. Shin Survives, Defies Reorg Despite Plunging Profits

As expected, heads are rolling at Samsung, though company co-chief and mobile business boss J.K. Shin didn't get the axe as some had speculated. Instead, three other high-level executives were thanked for their services and shown the door as Samsung reshuffles its core management team in an attempt to return its mobile unit into a booming business.

"Shin has made significant contributions in helping Samsung to become the global number one in the mobile market," Lee June, Samsung Group communications chief, said during a media briefing, according to The Korea Herald. "The president will have another chance to reinvigorate the mobile business in a new business environment."

We'll let the analysts argue all day long as to whether Samsung made the right decision or not, but it's nice to see a company give credit where it's due. Shin is directly responsible for Samsung's rapid rise in the mobile market, and too often companies have short-term memories when it comes to past success.

However, Shin is also responsible for letting Samsung's mobile business grow stale. Given a second chance to turn things around, he'll have to figure out how to revitalize the company and boost sales for the company's Galaxy line, which undersold this past quarter.

While Shin gets to keep his job, three others weren't so lucky. They include Lee Don-joo, chief of the mobile business unit's strategic marketing office; Kim Jae-kwon, chief of the global operations office; and Lee Chul-hwan, head of the mobile R&D office.