In 2012, Kim Won-kyung joined Samsung Electronics. He will assume his charge as president of Samsung's global public affairs. The annual shuffle coincided with a faltering semiconductor sector and a worldwide economic crisis, which had a significant effect on Samsung Electronics' performance. The company's operating profit in the first and second quarters of the current fiscal year was reportedly KRW 640.2 billion (roughly US$491 million) and KRW 668.5 billion. Since the first quarter of 2009, these were the lowest quarterly earnings. The company anticipates that the reshuffle will bring in a fresh layer of opportunities that will help the company get back on its path of success.