Lee Kun-hee, the chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest supplier of smartphones and memory chips, left for the United States on Saturday to accompany President Park Geun-hye during her trip to the U.S.

Lee is one of a 52-member high-profile business delegation that will also accompany Park, who is scheduled to visit the U.S. from May 5-10 for talks with U.S. President Barack Obama.

It is the first time for Lee to join an overseas trip by a South Korean president since 2004 when he traveled to Russia and Kazakhstan with then-President Roh Moo-hyun.

Lee, who left along with his wife and two daughters via a private jet, is set to join the delegation next week when the U.S. will hold an official dinner in Washington to mark the 60th anniversary of its alliance with South Korea.

The business delegation is also scheduled to meet with its U.S. counterpart to discuss ways to expand economic cooperation between the two countries.

The U.S is South Korea's second-largest trading partner with the countries' bilateral trade reaching over $58.5 billion in 2012. The countries implemented a bilateral free trade agreement last year.

The South Korean delegation includes Huh Chang-soo, the chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, South Korea's powerful business lobby that speaks for the country's family-controlled conglomerates and other large businesses.

The trip by the business delegation comes as Park has vowed to stop conglomerates from abusing their power, and to protect mom and pop stores and smaller firms by strengthening regulations meant to ensure fair business practices. (Yonhap News)