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- Chairman of the Board at Coupang, Inc.
- Bom Kim is the Chairman of the Board and CEO of Coupang, Inc., the parent company of Coupang. After completing large-scale infrastructure development, he successfully shifted the company from "planned losses" to profitability. Kim has expanded Coupang's influence beyond e-commerce into sectors such as food delivery and online video streaming (OTT). He was born on October 7, 1978, in Seoul. Kim is a Korean-American who moved to the United States during middle school when his father, an overseas employee of Hyundai Construction, relocated there. Holding U.S. citizenship, he is known by his American name, Bom Kim. Kim graduated with a degree in political science from Harvard University and later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. While at Harvard, he founded the magazine *Current*, which he eventually sold to *Newsweek*. He began his career at the Boston Consulting Group. Kim founded *Vintage Media Company*, which produced a monthly magazine targeting elite university graduates, later selling the company. In 2010, with KRW 3 billion in startup capital, he co-founded Coupang with Sun-joo Yoon (a director with ties from Harvard and daughter of former Minister of Strategy and Finance Yoon Jeung-hyun) and Harvard Business School alumnus Jaewoo Koh, who serves as Vice President. Initially established as a social commerce company, Coupang transitioned to an e-commerce company, introducing the groundbreaking "Rocket Delivery" service, which positioned Coupang as one of the most formidable competitors in the online and offline retail sectors. In 2021, Kim took Coupang public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), raising KRW 5 trillion (approximately USD 4.3 billion). These funds enabled Coupang to expand its nationwide logistics network and venture into new businesses such as *Coupang Eats* and *Coupang Play*. As a self-made entrepreneur and innovative business leader, Kim is often referred to as the "Jeff Bezos of Korea." #BomKim #Coupang #RocketDelivery #CoupangEats #CoupangPlay #ecommerce #NYSE #innovation #Harvard #selfmadeentrepreneur
Career Highlights & Challenges
- • Expansion of National Logistics Network
- • Launch of Premium Beauty, Food, and Pet Care Services
- • Strengthening Fresh Food Delivery Capabilities
- • Return to Losses After 8 Quarters
- • Second Price Increase for "WOW Membership"
- • Investing KRW 3 Trillion (USD 2.16 Billion) Over Three Years to Establish Nationwide Rocket Delivery Network
- • Strengthening Food Delivery Business with Coupang Eats
- • First Annual Profit in 14 Years Since Founding
- • Acquisition of World’s Leading Luxury E-commerce Company "Farfetch"
- • Establishment of Entertainment Agency ‘CP Entertainment’
- • Ranked 74th Among Global Top 250 Retailers
- • Joining the Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF)
- • "Rocket Delivery" Service for Open Market Sellers
- • Focusing on the Taiwan Market
- • First Quarterly Profit in Eight Years
- • Securing Operating Funds Through Paid-In Capital Increases
- • Stepping Down from Official Domestic Role after NYSE Listing
- • ‘Windfall’ from COVID-19
- • Targeting the OTT Market with Coupang Play
- • Spin-off of Fintech Company Coupang Pay
- • Spinning Off Fulfillment and Delivery Business
- • $2 Billion Investment from SoftBank
- • Leading Retail Innovation with Fast Delivery and Lowest Price Competition
- • Entrepreneurial Background
Profile
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CEO of Viva Republica
Lee Seung-gun
- Lee Seung-gun is the CEO of Viva Republica, which operates the mobile financial platform Toss. He is focusing on expanding the financial business to banking, securities, payments, and remittances to grow Toss into an integrated financial platform that provides all financial services. He is paying close attention to the profitability of major subsidiaries such as Toss Bank's turnaround and Toss Securities reaching the break-even point. Born on January 30, 1982, in Seoul, he graduated from Youngdong High School and Seoul National University's College of Dentistry. He worked as a dentist at Samsung Medical Center before founding Viva Republica. After eight startup failures, he began to gain attention as an entrepreneur by launching Toss, a simple remittance service. He is recognized as a pioneer in the fintech field in Korea, a service that combines finance and technology. He is adventurous enough to leave a stable future as a dentist to jump into entrepreneurship. He personally takes care of even the smallest details of the service. #LeeSeunggun #VivaRepublica #Toss #FintechPioneer #IntegratedFinancialPlatform #TossBank #TossSecurities #Entrepreneurship #FinanceAndTechnology #StartupSuccess
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CEO of Viva Republica
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Chairman of Kyobo Life Insurance
Shin Chang-jae
- Shin Chang-jae is the Chairman and CEO of Kyobo Life Insurance. He is the only owner-CEO in the domestic life insurance industry and serves as a co-CEO alongside President Cho Dae-gyu. He is actively pushing for the transition to a holding company and the establishment of a comprehensive financial group. Shin is showing strong determination to resume the IPO, which was previously halted due to disputes with financial investors. Born on October 31, 1953, in Seoul, he is the eldest son of Shin Yong-ho, the founder of Kyobo Life Insurance. After graduating from Gyeonggi High School in Seoul and Seoul National University College of Medicine, he obtained a master's degree and a doctorate in medicine from Seoul National University Graduate School. He worked as an obstetrician-gynecologist and served as a professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine for 10 years. After being diagnosed with cancer, he accepted his father's request, who was considering succession issues, to join the management of Kyobo Life as Vice Chairman. Under his leadership, Kyobo Life grew from a loss-making company to the third largest in the life insurance industry by total assets. He advocates for "ambidextrous management," generating profits from the life insurance business with one hand while discovering future growth engines like MyData and healthcare services with the other. His management style is generally cautious but can be bold at times. He also emphasizes open communication with employees. #KyoboLife #ShinChangJae #lifeinsurance #holdingcompany #IPO #finance #healthcare #MyData #leadership #businessgrowth
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Chairman of Kyobo Life Insurance
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CEO of Coway
Seo Jang-won
- Seo Jang-won is the CEO of Coway. After Netmarble acquired Coway, he completed the integration process and took over as CEO, leading the company to achieve its first KRW 4 trillion (US$ 2.9 billion) in revenue in the industry. He was born on May 8, 1970. He graduated from Yeouido High School in Seoul and earned a degree in economics from Westminster University in the United States. After graduating from the University of Connecticut School of Law, he obtained his license to practice law and returned to Korea, where he worked as a senior attorney at law firm Sejong. In 2015, he was recruited by Bang Jun-hyuk and joined Netmarble, where he successfully led acquisitions of Jam City, the world’s second-largest puzzle game developer, and U.S. game company Kabam. He served as chairman of the Netmarble Cultural Foundation and as executive vice president in charge of investment strategy and communications. Following the acquisition of Coway in 2020, he served as CFO, co-CEO and executive vice president, and president before being appointed sole CEO and president in January 2023. Building on the milestone of exceeding KRW 1 trillion (US$ 720.9 million) in revenue in Malaysia, he is focusing on expanding into new markets in Southeast Asia, Europe, and Japan. #SeoJangwon #Coway #Netmarble #globalexpansion #BangJunhyuk #JamCity #Kabam #CFOtoCEO #Koreabusiness #homeappliances
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CEO of Coway
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Minister of Education
Lee Ju-ho
- Lee Ju-ho is the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education. Except for Park Soon-ae, the former Minister of Education who voluntarily resigned just 35 days after taking office, he is effectively the first education minister under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. He is leading the Ministry of Education during a government without a president, following the Constitutional Court's decision to remove former President Yoon Suk-yeol from office. He must accelerate efforts to resolve legislative conflicts while also addressing the numerous pending education reform issues. He was born on February 17, 1961, in Chilgok, Gyeongsangbuk-do. He graduated from Daegu Chunggoo High School and Seoul National University with a degree in international economics. He earned a master’s degree in economics from Seoul National University Graduate School and a Ph.D. in economics from Cornell University in the United States. As a professor at the Korea Development Institute (KDI), he specialized in vocational education and employment policy at both KDI and the KDI School of Public Policy and Management, establishing himself as an expert in education. Under the Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as the first Senior Secretary for Education, Science and Culture, the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and later as the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, taking the lead in shaping education policy. In the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education in November 2022. He emphasizes performance and holds the belief that education should be based on autonomy and competition. He is known for being meticulous and highly driven, though some say he lacks interpersonal charm. #LeeJuho #KoreanEducationMinister #EducationReform #YoonSukyeol #KDI #KoreaDevelopmentInstitute #DeputyPrimeMinister #VocationalEducation #CornellUniversity #KoreanPolitics
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Minister of Education
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Chairman of KB Financial Group
Yang Jong-hee
- Yang Jong-hee is the CEO and Chairman of KB Financial Group. He is focusing on strengthening a stable portfolio of banking and non-banking sectors to respond to increasingly uncertain external management environments. He was born on June 10, 1961, in Jeonju. He graduated from Jeonju High School and earned a degree in Korean History from Seoul National University. He completed a master's program at Sogang University Graduate School of Business Administration. He joined Housing Bank, served as the branch manager of KB Kookmin Bank's Seocho Station branch, and worked at KB Financial Group as the head of the Board Secretariat, head of the Strategic Planning Department, and executive director in charge of strategic planning. He was promoted to Vice President after leading practical operations related to the acquisition of LIG Insurance (now KB Insurance). In 2016, he was appointed President and CEO of KB Insurance. After serving as Vice Chairman of KB Financial Group, he was appointed Chairman of KB Financial Group in 2023. He is known for his expertise in finance and strategy. #YangJonghee #KBFinancialGroup #CEO #Chairman #FinanceStrategy #Banking #NonBanking #InsuranceAcquisition #KoreanHistory #BusinessLeadership
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Chairman of KB Financial Group
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CEO of SK hynix
Kwak Noh-jung
- Kwak Noh-jung is the CEO of SK hynix. Together with Vice Chairman Park Jung-ho, he forms a co-CEO system. He is dedicated to enhancing SK hynix's semiconductor production yield and strengthening technological capabilities. He also focuses on strengthening safety management and improving corporate culture. He was born on November 6, 1965. He graduated from Korea University with a degree in Materials Engineering and obtained both his master's and doctoral degrees in Materials Engineering from the Korea University Graduate School. He joined Hyundai Electronics, the predecessor of SK hynix, and has worked solely at SK hynix for 29 years, making him a true "Hynix man." He has served as a development researcher in the Process Technology Office, Vice President in charge of Manufacturing and Technology, and President of Safety, Development, and Manufacturing. In 2022, after SK hynix CEO Lee Seok-hee stepped down from his position to become the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Solidigm, a U.S. subsidiary, Kwak Noh-jung was appointed as the successor CEO. He is considered a leading semiconductor technology expert at SK hynix. He is active in communicating with employees. #SKHynix #KwakNohjung #semiconductors #technology #CEO #leadership #corporateculture #safetymanagement #KoreaUniversity #Solidigm
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CEO of SK hynix
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Chairman of SPC Group
Heo Young-in
- Heo Young-in is the Chairman of SPC Group. He led the growth of Paris Baguette through meticulous site management systems and research and development for quality improvement. He is striving to expand overseas operations to elevate SPC Group into a 'Great Food Company.' He was born on May 17, 1949, in Hwanghae-do, as the second son of Heo Chang-seong, the Honorary Chairman of Samlip Food. Seven months after becoming the CEO of Samlip Food, he went to Kansas City in the United States to learn baking technology. After completing his studies abroad, he returned to take on the role of CEO of Shany. While his elder brother, Chairman Heo Young-seon, led Samlip Food into business difficulties due to investments in the resort business, he grew Paris Baguette, Baskin-Robbins, and Dunkin' Donuts into leading domestic franchises. When Samlip Food went into court receivership due to bankruptcy, he acquired Samlip Food and established SPC Group by merging Samlip Food, Shany, Paris Croissant, and BR Korea. He expanded global operations by opening Paris Baguette stores in China and the United States, the first in the domestic baking industry. He is pushing to expand into a comprehensive food company by entering the fresh food business through international food and beverage franchises such as Jamba Juice, Pascucci, Shake Shack, and Eggslut. He is known for his meticulous nature, emphasizing fieldwork and quality management.
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Chairman of SPC Group
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CEO of Shinsegae International
William Kim
- William Kim is the CEO of the Fashion Division at Shinsegae International. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Shinsegae International and Head of Digital & Global for Shinsegae Department Store Division. He was born in the United States in August 1972. He graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Accounting. At Gucci Group, he served as CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and COO (Chief Operating Officer), overseeing luxury watch brands including Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, and Bedat & Co. At Burberry, he held the position of Senior Vice President of Retail and Digital. He later became CEO of British fashion brand AllSaints, where he led the company to profitability within one year. He then moved to Samsung Electronics, where he served as Executive Vice President of Marketing for the Mobile Division, overseeing digital platforms, global stores, and training. In 2022, he became CEO of global cycling apparel brand Rapha, where he expanded the company’s digital platform. In January 2023, he was appointed as CEO of Shinsegae International. In October 2024, he was named CEO of the Fashion Division at Shinsegae International. #WilliamKim #ShinsegaeInternational #ShinsegaeFashion #LuxuryRetail #GlobalLeadership #Burberry #GucciGroup #SamsungElectronics #Rapha #DigitalTransformation
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CEO of Shinsegae International
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Chairman of Lotte Group
Shin Dong-bin
- Shin Dong-bin is the chairman of Lotte Group. He also serves as the CEO of Lotte Corporation, Lotte Chemical, Lotte Wellfood, and Lotte Chilsung Beverage. He is attempting to overcome the group’s crisis, which began with Lotte Chemical’s poor performance, through personnel renewal. He is focusing on establishing a stable governance structure by listing Hotel Lotte to resolve its relationship with Japanese Lotte, while also working to improve the group’s image tarnished by the management corruption of the founding family. He was born on February 14, 1955, in Tokyo, Japan, as the second son among two sons and two daughters of Shin Kyuk-ho, the founder of Lotte Group. He graduated from Aoyama Gakuin’s kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school before earning his degree from Aoyama Gakuin University. He completed an MBA program at Columbia Business School in the United States. He worked at Nomura Securities in Japan before joining Lotte Corporation in Japan as a director. He joined Lotte Group in Korea as an executive director of Honam Petrochemical, the predecessor of Lotte Chemical. He served as vice president of the group’s Planning and Coordination Office and as head of the Policy Headquarters before becoming chairman in 2011 and later CEO of Lotte Holdings in Japan in 2015. He has also served as the president of the Korea Ski Association. He values humility and etiquette. He is quiet but demonstrates strong determination. #LotteGroup #ShinDongBin #LotteChemical #HotelLotte #CorporateGovernance #ColumbiaMBA #AoyamaGakuin #KoreaSkiAssociation #ManagementReform #JapaneseLotte
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Chairman of Lotte Group
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Head of the Foundry Business at Samsung
Han Jin-man
- Han Jin-man is the President and Head of the Foundry Business in the Device Solutions (DS) Division at Samsung Electronics. He is focusing the company's efforts on narrowing the technological gap in advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes with Taiwan’s TSMC. He was born on October 24, 1966, in Gangwon Province. He graduated from Gangwon High School and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from Seoul National University. He joined Samsung Electronics' Semiconductor (DS) Division as part of the DRAM Design Team in the Memory Business Unit. After working at Micron in the United States, he returned to Samsung Electronics as a senior executive in the Flash Development Office of the Memory Business Unit. He later held positions as Head of the PE Team in the Solution Development Office, Head of the SSD Development Team, and Head of the Product Planning Team in the Strategic Marketing Office, before serving as the Head of Strategic Marketing. After working as the Head of Samsung Electronics’ DS Division in North America, he was promoted in 2024 to President and Head of the Foundry Business in the DS Division. He is focused on securing big-tech clients for semiconductor processes below 2 nanometers. #Samsung #semiconductor #foundry #TSMC #SamsungElectronics #chipmanufacturing #nanotechnology #techleadership #memorybusiness #engineering
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Head of the Foundry Business at Samsung
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NEWS OR FEATURED
- Bom Kim Isn’t Satisfied with KRW 40 Trillion—Why Taiwan Holds the Key to Coupang’s Global Expansion
- Lee Seung-gun’s Bold Bet: Offering KRW 1 Million Interview Bonus, Aims to Soar with Toss Advertising and Shopping
- Kyobo Life’s Shin Chang-jae Moves Closer to Holding Company Transition with SBI Savings Bank Acquisition Plan
- Heo Young-in Acquitted of Breach of Trust, But Key Trial Still Ahead—SPC Struggles with ‘Anti-Labor’ Image
- SK hynix Surpasses Samsung in 40 Years, Wins on Earnings and Next-Gen Memory Tech like HBM4 and SOCAMM
- Yang Jong-hee’s Second Term at KB Financial Begins Strong with Earnings Momentum and Innovation Confidence
- Hanwha Challenges Europe's Defense Turf - Kim Dong-kwan Vows to Be a "Trusted NATO Partner"
- Why Cho Hyun-bum Turned to Lee Soo-il — Again, for Hanon Systems
- Samsung Electronics’ Han Jin-man Faces Dilemma Over U.S. Foundry Strategy: “Tariffs If Idle, Losses If Operated”
- Lotte’s Job-based Pay Push Faces Harsh Reality — Shin Dong-bin’s Optimism Meets Tough Road Ahead
