South Korea's Samsung Group heir apparent takes key leadership roles

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd <005930.KS> Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee will take over from his father and Samsung Group patriarch Lee Kun-hee as head of two key foundations, replacing his father in leadership roles for the first time. Samsung Group said in a statement Jay Y. Lee would succeed his father as head of Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation and Samsung Foundation of Culture. Lee Kun-hee has been hospitalised for about a year after suffering a heart attack, fuelling expectations that the succession of control of South Korea's top conglomerate to his son will accelerate in coming months. (Reporting by Se Young Lee; Editing by Stephen Coates)