Wife of Kuok dies in the Hotel Shilla

The wife of Malaysia’s richest billionaire, Robert Kuok, was reported to have died at the Hotel Shilla in central Seoul, Thursday.

Citing local police, Yonhap News Agency reported that the 65-year-old wife, who was referred to as “G,” was found dead at the prestigious Korean hotel of a heart attack at 12:45 p.m. but no autopsy has been scheduled.

Kuok’s wife was reportedly visiting Seoul to attend her daughter’s wedding, which was scheduled for next week. The hotel would not confirm the report.

According to Wikipedia, Kuok, Chairman of Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts Chain, has married twice and has seven children. The spouse whose name is listed on the online encyclopedia was Ho Poh Lin.

Kuok is said to be media shy.

The Malaysian- Chinese billionaire has various nicknames including Sugar King, King of Cooking Oil and Hotel King. Born in 1921, Kuok retained his rank as the richest man in Malaysia as he top the lists with a net worth estimated at $12.4 billion, according to Forbes in February.

He has kept that position for 10 consecutive years.

The Kouk Group, which was founded in 1949 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia as Kuok Brothers, is involved in a wide range of businesses extending from its traditional businesses in sugar refineries and wheat flour to real estate, finance and resorts, not only in Malaysia but in other parts of Asia from Singapore to Hong Kong. He owns China’s Beijing World Trade Center and a controlling stake in Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]