Samsung announced that Samsung had acquired the stake of Sony in this joint venture. Compared to other major Korean companies, Samsung survived the 1997 Asian financial crisis relatively unharmed. However, Samsung Motor was sold to Renault at a significant loss. , Renault Samsung is 80.1 percent owned by Renault and 19.9 percent owned by Samsung. Additionally, Samsung manufactured a range of aircraft from the 1980s to 1990s. The company was founded in 1999 as Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the result of a merger between then three domestic major aerospace divisions of Samsung Aerospace, Daewoo Heavy Industries and Hyundai Space and Aircraft
Renault Samsung Motors imported models introduced from 2017 onwards in South Korea kept Renault's diamond badge instead of being rebadged with the Renault Samsung logo. The advertising slogan of Renault Samsung Motors is "Discover the Difference" () and was introduced in 2009. According to the company, it refers to the distinct quality of its products. The company includes in its vehicles' designations numbers related to their sizes. Those numbers are 3, meaning compact or small vehicle, 5 and 6, mid-size vehicle, and 7, large vehicle. The designations also include the letters S and M, which stands for "Samsung Motors" and "Samsung Motor Sedan".