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

- Chairman of Whanin Pharm
  Lee Gwang-sik
  
  Lee Gwang-sik is the Chairman and CEO of Whanin Pharm. He is focusing on increasing sales by distributing global pharmaceutical companies' drugs in the domestic market. He was born on November 5, 1947, in Daejeon. He graduated from Namseong High School in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, and earned a degree in pharmacy from Seoul National University. He later obtained a master's degree from the Graduate School of Public Health at Seoul National University. He began his career at Chong Kun Dang. In 1978, he acquired Whanin Pharm and expanded the business through collaborations with global pharmaceutical companies. He is currently preparing to transfer management rights to his son, Lee Won-beom, who serves as co-CEO. #WhaninPharm #LeeGwangSik #pharmaceuticals #globalbusiness #healthcare #startup #businessleadership #ChongKunDang #drugdistribution #managementsuccession
- CEO of Cafe24
  Lee Jae-suk
  
  Lee Jae-suk is the CEO of Cafe24. He also serves as the chairman of the board. He is focusing on advancing AI-based e-commerce platforms. He was born on January 28, 1968, in Daegu. He graduated from Kyungshin High School in Daegu and earned a degree in physics from Pohang University of Science and Technology. He worked as a researcher at KC Cottrell, an environmental equipment company, before founding Korea Network Business Consulting in 1996. In 1999, he established Simplex Internet and launched an e-commerce platform solutions business. After changing the company name to Cafe24, he expanded its scale through continuous mergers and acquisitions, broadening its business scope. By expanding into domestic and international markets through cooperation with YouTube Shopping, he envisions Cafe24 as the "Shopify of Asia." #Cafe24 #LeeJaeSuk #ecommerce #AI #YouTubeShopping #startup #business #technology #Asia #Shopify
- Chairman of Samyang Group
  Kim Yoon
  
  Kim Yoon is the Chairman of Samyang Group. He also serves as the Chairman of the holding company, Samyang Holdings. He is focusing on advancing the group's business portfolio with "specialty" and "global" as key themes. He was born on February 24, 1953, in Busan as the son of Kim Sang-hong, Honorary Chairman of Samyang Group. He graduated from Kyungbock High School and earned a degree in Business Administration from Korea University. He then completed an MBA program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in the United States. He began his career at Bando Trading Company and later worked at Lloyd Raper in the U.S. before joining Samyang Corporation. In 1996, he was appointed President and CEO of Samyang Corporation. After the group transitioned to a holding company structure, he served as CEO and Chairman of Samyang Holdings from 2011. He stepped down as CEO of Samyang Corporation and Samyang Holdings in 2012 and 2020, respectively, but remains as Chairman. He also serves as Chairman of the Yangyoung Foundation and the Sudang Foundation, which are scholarship foundations of Samyang Group. Additionally, he is a Vice Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries. He is known for his direct and straightforward communication style. #KimYoon #SamyangGroup #SamyangHoldings #businessleader #KoreaUniversity #MBA #corporategovernance #KoreanIndustry #executiveprofile #businessstrategy
- Vice Chairman of Korean Air
  Woo Kee-hong
  
  Woo Kee-hong is the Vice Chairman and CEO of Korean Air. He is focusing on the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. He was born on December 20, 1962, in Hamyang, Gyeongnam. He graduated from Jinju High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Business Administration. He completed MBA programs at KAIST and the University of Southern California in the United States. After joining Korean Air, he held positions such as New York Passenger Branch Manager, Head of the Americas Regional Headquarters, and Head of the Passenger Business Division. He served as Head of the Corporate Strategy Division before being appointed as Executive Vice President and CEO of Korean Air in 2017. He is known as one of the "Seoul National University Four" within Hanjin Group and is regarded as a leading professional manager. He has built a strong personal network in the U.S. aviation industry and enjoys deep trust from the owner family. #WooKeeHong #KoreanAir #AsianaAirlines #aviation #HanjinGroup #merger #businessleader #airlineindustry #USC #KAIST
- Vice Chairman of Ildong Pharmaceutical
  Yun Woong-sup
  
  Yun Woong-sup is the Vice Chairman and CEO of Ildong Pharmaceutical. He is focusing on new drug development with the goal of achieving annual sales of KRW 1 trillion (US$ 721.1 million) and a net profit of KRW 100 billion (US$ 72.1 million). He was born on July 7, 1967, in Seoul as the eldest son of Yun Won-young, Chairman of Ildong Holdings. He graduated from Youngdong High School in Seoul and Yonsei University with a degree in applied statistics, then earned a master's degree in accounting from Georgia State University in the United States. He worked as a reporter at the Georgia bureau of The Korea Times before joining KPMG in the U.S. as an accountant. He joined Ildong Pharmaceutical as an executive director, serving as the head of the PI team and director of the planning and coordination office before being appointed as Executive Vice President. In 2014, he became the co-CEO and President of Ildong Pharmaceutical. As Ildong Pharmaceutical transitioned to a holding company structure, he took on the role of CEO, fully initiating third-generation management. When profitability declined, he implemented bold restructuring measures, leading the company back to profitability within four years. #YunWoongsup #IldongPharmaceutical #pharmaceuticalindustry #newdrugdevelopment #Koreanbusiness #biopharma #executivemanagement #corporatestructure #businessleadership #KPMG
- Chairman of Nexteel
  Park Hyo-jeong
  
  Park Hyo-jeong is the chairman of Nexteel. He also serves as the CEO of Nexteel Saha, the company's U.S. subsidiary, and as the sole manager of Nexteel Holdings. He is pursuing facility investments to expand the business portfolio. He was born on July 15, 1954, in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do. He graduated from Jecheon High School in Chungbuk and earned a degree in trade from the University of Seoul. He started his steel business by establishing Injin Steel in the Shihwa Industrial Complex in Incheon. In 1990, he relocated his business to Pohang and founded Daewon Industrial. He has a strong competitive spirit and drive, valuing a hands-on sales approach by personally meeting with clients. He is dedicated to transforming Nexteel into a global comprehensive steel pipe company capable of supplying various types of steel pipes. #ParkHyojeong #Nexteel #steelindustry #businessleader #SouthKorea #globalbusiness #steelpipes #manufacturing #trade #industrialinvestment
- CEO of Kolon Global
  Kim Jung-il
  
  Kim Jung-il is the CEO and President of Kolon Global. He is working to enhance cost and bidding competitiveness while strengthening the non-residential sector. He was born on November 8, 1961. He graduated from Sogang University with a degree in business administration and completed an MBA program at the University of Maryland. After joining Kolon Trading, he worked in Kolon’s Planning and Coordination Office. He then moved to Neoview Kolon, where he served as Head of the Management Division before being appointed CEO in 2011. At Kolon Industries, he served as Head of the Business Division and Executive Vice President overseeing the CPI business before being appointed CEO and President in 2022. He is known as one of Kolon Group’s leading strategists and emphasizes that the key to strategy lies in fieldwork and communication with employees. #KimJungil #KolonGlobal #businessstrategy #corporateleadership #manufacturing #globalbusiness #CPIbusiness #nonresidentialsector #SouthKorea #executivemanagement
- Former Leader of People Power Party
  Han Dong-hoon
  
  Han Dong-hoon is the former leader of the People Power Party. He was born on April 9, 1973, in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do. He graduated from Hyundai High School in Seoul and Seoul National University’s College of Law. He completed an LLM program at Columbia Law School in the United States and obtained a New York State attorney license. After passing the 37th bar exam and completing the 27th Judicial Research and Training Institute course, he began his career as a prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. During the Moon Jae-in administration, he served as the third deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office under then-chief prosecutor Yoon Suk-yeol, leading investigations into corruption cases involving the Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak administrations. After Yoon was appointed Prosecutor General, Han was promoted to chief prosecutor and led the investigation into Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s family as head of the Anti-Corruption and Violent Crimes Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (formerly the Central Investigation Department). He later served as deputy chief prosecutor of the Busan High Prosecutors’ Office, research officer at the Legal Research and Training Institute, and deputy director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute before becoming the first Minister of Justice under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. He entered politics as the interim leader of the People Power Party and led the party’s campaign in the April 2024 general election, but suffered a crushing defeat. Three months after the election loss, he ran for party leader in the national convention and was elected. However, in December 2024, after the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President Yoon, the party leadership collapsed, leading to his resignation. Once considered Yoon’s closest confidant and even nicknamed the "Little President," Han later became a symbolic figure of the anti-Yoon ("Bi-Yoon") faction within the People Power Party. #HanDongHoon #PeoplePowerParty #SouthKoreaPolitics #YoonSukYeol #JusticeMinister #Prosecutor #GeneralElection #Impeachment #PoliticalLeadership #KoreanLaw
  NEWS
  - • Han Dong-hoon Resigns Amid 'Impeachment Responsibility' Pressure, Faces Resistance from PPP Mainstream on Path to Presidential Bid
  - • Han Dong-hoon: "Yoon Suk-yeol's Duty Suspension Necessary; Martial Law Plan to Arrest Politicians Confirmed"
- CEO of LG Uplus
  Hong Bum-sik
  
  Hong Bum-sik is the CEO and President of LG Uplus. He is exploring new businesses in the telecommunications sector that can become future growth drivers based on artificial intelligence (AI). He was born on February 21, 1968. He graduated from Yeouido High School in Seoul and earned a degree in business administration from the University of Southern California. He also completed an MBA program at Columbia Business School. He worked at Monitor Group Korea before serving as Head of Business Strategy at SK Telecom and Korea Representative at Oliver Wyman. He then moved to Bain & Company, where he served as Head of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunications & Technology Division and as Global Director of Bain & Company Korea. He joined LG as Head of the Corporate Strategy Team and later became Head of Corporate Strategy before being appointed CEO of LG Uplus in 2024. As an expert in telecommunications technology and corporate strategy, he is considered a key executive personally selected by LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo. #HongBumSik #LGUplus #ArtificialIntelligence #Telecommunications #BusinessStrategy #CorporateLeadership #KoreanBusiness #TechnologyInnovation #LGGroup #TelecomIndustry
- Chairman of Aju Group
  Moon Kyu-young
  
  Moon Kyu-young is the chairman of Aju Group. He also serves as the chairman of Aju, the group's holding company. He was born on November 1, 1951, in Seoul as the eldest son among three sons and two daughters of Moon Tae-sik, the founder of Aju Industrial. He graduated from Whimoon High School and Korea University with a degree in agriculture. He began his career at Daewoo Corporation. After joining Aju Industrial as a director, he was appointed chairman of Aju Group in 2004. He has served as chairman of the Korea Ready-Mixed Concrete Industry Association, chairman of the Korea-China Economic Association, and senior vice chairman of the Korea Middle Market Enterprises Association. He has actively pursued mergers and acquisitions while diversifying the business beyond ready-mixed concrete into tourism and leisure, cold storage, car rentals, and automobile distribution and sales. He is focused on discovering future growth engines and establishing a strong corporate culture. #MoonKyuYoung #AjuGroup #AjuIndustrial #KoreaBusiness #CorporateExpansion #MergersAcquisitions #KoreanEconomy #ReadyMixedConcrete #AutomobileIndustry #TourismIndustry

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