The heir of South Korea's leading business house, Samsung Group apologized during a nationally televised address on Tuesday for failing to stop the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at a Seoul hospital run by a group foundation.

Lee Jae-yong apologized to MERS victims and patients in his first public speech since taking over the Samsung Foundation last month. Lee succeeded his ailing father, Lee Kun Hee in leading the charity foundation that owns Samsung Medical Center.

Lee apologized on Medical Center for its role in spreading MERS. Since the first case of the infectious disease discovered in South Korea on May 20, the outbreak has scared away many tourists and domestic consumers.

MERS is a coronavirus from the Arabian Peninsula and has infected over 1,100 people and killed more than 400 worldwide. Camels are thought to be the source of many human infections. The virus can lead to respiratory failure or septic shock. No vaccine or cure has been found.

About half of the 175 MERS traced to the Samsung Medical Center has tarnished the image of one of the country's most prestigious hospitals. The outbreak has killed 27 people since May.

Jay Y. Lee, the only son of Samsung Group patriarch Lee Kun-hee, said the conglomerate would do everything it could to stop the outbreak. It will restore care at Samsung Medical Center, located in Seoul's wealthy Gangnam district.

Lee said, “My father is also lying in a hospital for over a year. I fully understand the shared responsibility. We will take the full responsibility to cure the patients”.