Moon aims to shine new light on S. Korean businesses

Seoul : The world's biggest smartphone maker Samsung and other conglomerates that dominate South Korea's economy are firmly in the reformist sights of new president Moon Jae-In -- and analysts say he could succeed where many have failed.

The likes of Samsung and Hyundai, sprawling family-led empires known as "chaebols", were crucial to the South's rapid economic transformation in the 1960s and 70s from the ruins of war.

Now they employ vast numbers of people in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

The revenues of Samsung alone, which has activities as diverse as a fashion line and an amusement park as well as making semiconductors and televisions, are equivalent to a quarter of the country's GDP.

They have gained immense political leverage, but also turned into objects of public scorn, accused of choking off innovation and engaging in corrupt business practices to ensure the families retain control of their empires.

Cosy ties with the political elite were exposed by the scandal that brought down Moon's predecessor Park Geun-Hye, and on the campaign trail he vowed to squeeze the four biggest conglomerates -- Samsung, Hyundai, SK and LG -- labelling them "obstacles to economic growth".

"I will take the initiative in reforming conglomerates," he said in his inauguration speech.

Reform has been pledged many times before -- even by Park, and by Moon's own party -- without being carried out, but the new president has blamed "weak motivation" in previous governments.

Analysts say there is more momentum for change now, after millions of people took to the streets to demand Park's removal, many of them also targeting the chaebols.

The level of public anger means the "chances of meaningful reform are much increased", said Capital Economics analyst Gareth Leather.

Several chaebols took out full-page newspaper advertisements Thursday to congratulate Moon -- Samsung's featured a smiling girl and proclaimed that "hope for a better tomorrow has begun".