[tooltalk]

This was mostly in the 80's during the cold war.

IMO, and it's not even really clear how Samsung's DRAM business really benefited from the state backing. The South Korea gov't first major initiative "Semiconductor Industry Promotion Plan" started only after Samsung'd developed their first 64K DRAM in 1983. It really helped other local industry competitors such as LG and Hyundai catch up, but Samsung was already on a roll -- by the early 90's, the company became the first to develop 256Mb DRAM. Not clear whether they really needed hand-holding from the gov't.

[coliveira]

As mentioned in the sibling comment, Samsung practically owns S Korea. It's a fools errand to separate Samsung from the government.

[TiredOfLife]

Even prisons in Korea are just vacation places for Samsung chairman.

[ahartmetz]

Don't entirely discount the other chaebol.