KoreaWho - Biographical and news service about individuals who have a significant impact on the Korean economy

- CEO of Semifive
  Cho Brandon
  
  Cho Myung-hyun, also known as Cho Brandon, is CEO of Semifive. He is focusing on strengthening the company’s design house capabilities by internalizing technology and securing design talent through mergers and acquisitions (M&A). He was born in August 1980. He graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Electrical Engineering. He earned master’s and doctoral degrees in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. He worked for the Boston Consulting Group in the United States for six years, handling corporate consulting. After serving as head of the Korean branch of U.S. semiconductor fabless company SiFive, he returned to Korea and co-founded Semifive with SiFive through an equity investment. He has both engineering and strategic consulting capabilities. He has a sharp eye for the market and a strong sense for investment. #ChoMyungHyun #ChoBrandon #Semifive #semiconductor #designhouse #M&A #SiFive #MIT #BostonConsultingGroup #fabless
- Chairman of Taewoong.
  Huh Yong-do
  
  Huh Yong-do is chairman of Taewoong. He is focusing on securing an early lead in the special forging market for next-generation energy sectors such as offshore wind power and SMR. He was born on January 19, 1948, in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Jinju Agricultural and Forestry High School and Chinju National University of Education. He transferred to Dong-A University and graduated from the Department of Economics. He worked as a teacher before entering the forging business. In 1981, he founded Taewoong, which produces energy and industrial forged products based on open-die forging technology. He stepped down as CEO in 2016 and has since served as chairman. He is preparing succession for his eldest son, President Huh Wook, and his second son, Director Huh Wan. He served as chairman of the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chairman of the Busan Automobile Parts Industry Cooperative, vice chairman of the Korea Wind Energy Industry Association, and vice chairman of the KOSDAQ Listed Companies Association. #HuhYongdo #Taewoong #forging #offshorewind #SMR #specialforging #energyindustry #openDieForging #BusanChamber #succession계획
- CEO and President of SeAH Steel Holdings
  Lee Joo-sung
  
  Lee Joo-sung is CEO and president of SeAH Steel Holdings. Together with Lee Tae-sung, CEO and president of SeAH Holdings, he leads SeAH Group through “cousin management.” He was born on October 23, 1978, as the eldest son among the one son and one daughter of Lee Soon-hyung, chairman of SeAH Group. He graduated from Aiglon College in Switzerland and the University of Chicago in the United States, where he studied economics and East Asian studies. He completed an MBA program at Columbia Business School. He worked at consulting firm Accenture and Merrill Lynch Securities. He joined SeAH Holdings as head of the strategy team. After serving as head of planning at SeAH Besteel and vice president and head of planning at SeAH Steel, he became CEO and president of SeAH Steel Holdings in 2022. Beyond its existing business centered on steel pipes, he has worked to find eco-friendly future growth engines such as offshore wind power and to push through global trade barriers. He faces the task of quickly stabilizing SeAH Wind, the U.K. offshore wind power unit that has recently raised concerns due to a series of large contract cancellations, and turning it profitable. Managing financial risks is also seen as an urgent task. #LeeJoo-sung #SeAHSteelHoldings #SeAHGroup #SeAHSteel #SeAHBesteel #SeAHWind #offshorewind #steelpipes #cousinmanagement #financialrisk
- CEO and President of POSCO Future M
  Eom Gi-chen
  
  Eom Gi-chen is CEO and president of POSCO Future M. He is moving in earnest into the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode materials business to respond to the expanding energy storage system (ESS) market, while also focusing on securing customers and developing technology in the anode materials sector. He was born in January 1966. He graduated from Sungkyunkwan University with a degree in mechanical design. He joined POSCO and worked in the New Business Management Office, and served as head of POSCO’s subsidiaries in China and Vietnam, head of the Steel Planning Office and head of the Marketing Strategy Office. He moved to POSCO Future M, where he served as vice president and head of the Energy Materials Business Division. In March 2025, he was appointed CEO and president of POSCO Future M. He is also serving as chairman of the Korea Battery Industry Association. #EomGiChen #POSCOFutureM #LFP #cathodematerials #anodematerials #ESS #batteryindustry #POSCO #KoreaBatteryIndustryAssociation #energymaterials
- President and CEO of F&F and Chairman of F&F Holdings
  Kim Chang-soo
  
  Kim Chang-soo is President and CEO of F&F and Chairman of F&F Holdings. He faces the challenge of strengthening the competitiveness of the company’s own brands beyond its license-based business structure. He was born on April 18, 1961, in Seoul as the second son of Kim Bong-kyu, the founder of Samsung Publishing. He graduated from Dongseong High School in Seoul and earned a degree in Business Administration from Yonsei University. He began his career at Samsung Publishing, his father’s company. In 1992, he became President and CEO of affiliate Artbox and established F&F to enter the fashion business. He successfully introduced and distributed international fashion brands such as Benetton, Renoma Sports, and Sisley in the Korean market. He has earned nicknames such as “a marketing genius” and “the Midas touch of the fashion industry” for his ability to identify and capitalize on fashion trends. He enjoys change and innovation and is known for making decisions quickly. #F&F #KimChangSoo #FFHoldings #FashionIndustry #Benetton #RenomaSports #Sisley #BrandStrategy #MarketingGenius #KoreanBusinessLeader
- Kang Hae-cheol is CEO of Gigavis
  Kang Hae-cheol
  
  Kang Hae-cheol is CEO and President of Gigavis. He is solidifying the company’s dominant position in the market for FC-BGA substrate inspection and repair equipment, while also responding to efforts to take the lead in the next-generation packaging market and rising demand for AI semiconductors. He was born on Sept. 1, 1963. He graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in biomedical engineering. He joined Samsung Electro-Mechanics and worked as a principal researcher at its Production Technology Research Institute. In 2004, he co-founded Gigavis with fellow researchers from Samsung Electro-Mechanics. At Gigavis, he served as executive director, senior executive director and vice president in charge of technology and management before becoming CEO in 2017. #KangHaecheol #Gigavis #CEO #FCBGA #substrateinspection #semiconductorequipment #nextgenerationpackaging #AIsemiconductors #SamsungElectroMechanics #YonseiUniversity
- Chairman of Genesis BBQ Group
  Yoon Hong-Geun
  
  Yoon Hong-geun is Chairman of Genesis BBQ Group. He is focusing on overseas expansion and business diversification with the goal of opening 50,000 franchise stores in Korea and abroad by 2030. He was born on July 17, 1955, in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province. He graduated from Suncheon High School and earned a degree in Trade from Chosun University. He joined Miwon (now Daesang) and worked as Sales Manager at Cheonho Maniker, a company engaged in the chicken business. In 1995, he founded BBQ and launched a chicken franchise business. Within four years, he secured 1,000 franchise stores and began expanding overseas in 2003, starting with China. After selling bhc, which had been a subsidiary, to a private equity fund, he became involved in a legal dispute with bhc. He was investigated by prosecutors over controversies involving alleged verbal abuse of franchise owners and alleged embezzlement of his children's overseas education expenses. Although he was cleared of all charges, the controversies damaged his public image. #BBQ #GenesisBBQ #YoonHonggeun #ChickenFranchise #KoreanFood #FranchiseBusiness #GlobalExpansion #bhc #FoodServiceIndustry #Entrepreneurship
- Prime Minister
  Kim Min-Seok
  
  Kim Min-seok is the Prime Minister of the Lee Jae-myung administration. He is focused on ending the aftermath of the insurrection crisis and restoring the people's economy. He was born on May 29, 1964, in Singil-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. He graduated from Soongsil High School in Seoul and earned a degree in Sociology from Seoul National University. While attending university, he served as president of the Seoul National University Student Council and president of the National Student Federation, standing at the forefront of the pro-democracy movement. He was imprisoned after being identified as the mastermind behind the occupation of the U.S. Cultural Center in Seoul, a protest that called for an investigation into the truth of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. He entered politics after being recruited by former President Kim Dae-jung and ran in the 1992 National Assembly election, but was defeated. In the 1996 National Assembly election, he ran in the Yeongdeungpo B constituency of Seoul as a candidate of the National Congress for New Politics and won a seat. He served as chief of staff to Kim Dae-jung, then president of the National Congress for New Politics. He was elected from Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo B constituency in the 2020 and 2024 general elections, becoming a four-term lawmaker. As a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, he served as co-chair of the standing election committee for Lee Jae-myung’s presidential campaign. In July 2025, he took office as the first Prime Minister of the Lee Jae-myung administration. #KimMinseok #LeeJaeMyung #PrimeMinister #DemocraticPartyOfKorea #NationalAssembly #SouthKoreanPolitics #KimDaeJung #DemocracyMovement #Yeongdeungpo #KoreanGovernment
- CEO of CJ Logistics
  Shin Young-soo
  
  Shin Young-soo is the CEO of CJ Logistics. He has set a goal of recovering the company’s domestic parcel delivery market share and expanding its overseas business to become one of the world’s top 10 logistics companies by 2030. He was born on October 28, 1966. He graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Agricultural Education and completed an MBA program at Sogang University’s Graduate School of Business. After joining CheilJedang, he moved to CJ O Shopping, where he handled human resources work. He returned to CJ CheilJedang and worked as deputy head of the CJ Human Resources Development Center and head of BIO Human Resources Support. In 2019, he became CEO of CJ Feed&Care. At CJ Logistics, he served as CEO of the Parcel Delivery and E-Commerce Division and CEO of the Korea Business Division and Global Business Division before being appointed CEO in 2024. He is serving as chairman of the Korea Integrated Logistics Association. He is a human resources expert. He has shown strong drive and breakthrough ability. #ShinYoungsoo #CJLogistics #CJ대한통운 #logistics #parceldelivery #ecommerce #globalbusiness #KoreaIntegratedLogisticsAssociation #humanresources #CEO
  NEWS
  - • CJ Logistics Global Business on a Growth Trajectory, Shin Young-soo Strengthens Logistics Technology
  - • CJ Logistics reported a 2nd quarter operating profit of KRW 125.4 billion (US$ 90.4 million)
- CEO of Kyobo Securities
  Park Bong-kwon
  
  Park Bong-kwon is the CEO of Kyobo Securities. He leads Kyobo Securities under a co-CEO system with CEO Lee Seok-ki. He is focusing on expanding equity capital and diversifying the business portfolio to help the company enter the ranks of comprehensive financial investment business operators. He was born in September 1963 in Busan. He graduated from Busan Nam High School and Seoul National University with a degree in judicial studies. He joined Kyobo Life Insurance and handled stock and bond management. He later worked at HDC Asset Management, Fides Asset Management and the National Pension Service before serving as head of the proprietary asset management division at Kyobo Securities. He returned to Kyobo Life Insurance, where he served as head of the investment business division and vice president in charge of asset management, or CIO. In 2020, he was appointed CEO of Kyobo Securities, and in 2025, he was reappointed for a fourth term. He is considered a financial investment expert with broad experience in stock and bond management, fund management and asset management. After taking office as CEO, he led Kyobo Securities’ earnings rebound and equity capital expansion. #ParkBongkwon #KyoboSecurities #CEO #financialinvestment #assetmanagement #stockmanagement #bondmanagement #equitycapital #businessportfolio #Koreansecurities

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