Lee Kun-hee, chairman of South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co., has retained his position as the wealthiest shareholder in the country thanks to a surge in share prices of the company and a key affiliate, industry data showed Thursday.

Lee held 12 trillion won (US$11 billion) worth of shares as of Wednesday, up 31.2 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Chaebul.com, which tracks the country's conglomerates.

The researcher said the rise came as shares of Samsung Electronics ended at 1,487,000 won on Wednesday, soaring 37.2 percent from a year earlier. Lee owns 3.38 percent of the firm's shares.

Shares of Samsung Life Insurance Co., an insurance unit of Samsung Group, also jumped 24 percent over the cited period to reach 107,000 won, adding to the chairman's gain. Lee owns 20.8 percent of the insurer's shares.

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo ranked second with the value of his stock holdings falling 4.5 percent on-year to 6.55 trillion won as a weak yen weighed down on earnings of the group, which has Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. under its wing.

Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, ranked third with 2 trillion won, followed by Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin with 1.91 trillion won.

Chung Mong-joon, the largest shareholder of Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., saw his value of stock holdings plunge 37.1 percent on-year to 1.59 trillion won, posting the steepest loss among the country's top 10 shareholders.

Also among the top shareholders were LG Group chairman Koo Bon-moo with 1.21 trillion won and Hanwha Group chairman Kim Seung-youn with 564 billion won, according to the data. (Yonhap News)