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

- 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
- CEO of Vinatech
  Sung Do-kyung
  
  Sung Do-kyung is CEO of Vinatech. He has established supercapacitors as a cash cow and is focusing on entering the AI data center power grid infrastructure market. He was born on September 20, 1958, in Gurye, South Jeolla Province. He graduated from Jeonju Technical High School. He majored in electronic engineering at Jeonbuk National University. He began his career at Optoelectronics and later worked at Daewoo Electronic Components, now Ajin Electronic Components, as head of the tantalum capacitor manufacturing and sales team. In 1998, he left the company and founded Vinatech. He serves as chairman of the Carbon-Hydrogen Convergence Industry Research Association. He is a first-generation KONEX entrepreneur. #SungDo-kyung #Vinatech #supercapacitor #AIDataCenter #powergrid #infrastructure #capacitor #KONEX #electronicengineering #carbonhydrogen융합
- President of Seoul St. Mary's Hospital of The Catholic University of Korea.
  Lee Ji-youl
  
  Lee Ji-youl is the President of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital of The Catholic University of Korea. He is focusing on transforming the hospital into a research-driven medical institution through healthcare innovation and is leading its digital transformation initiatives. He was born in 1964. He graduated from the College of Medicine at The Catholic University of Korea. He earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees in medicine from The Catholic University of Korea Graduate School. He was appointed as a professor in the Department of Urology at The Catholic University of Korea. He has served as Director of Outpatient Services at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Director of the Catholic Prostate Research Institute, Director of the Catholic Cancer Research Institute, Head of the Human Biobank at the Institute of Biomedical Industry, and Director of the Smart Hospital. He is recognized as a leading authority in the field of urologic cancers and is regarded as one of the pioneers who advanced innovative robotic surgery techniques. He has served as President of the Asia-Pacific Uro-Oncology Society, President of the Asian Pacific Prostate Society, and President of the Korean Prostate Society.
- President and CEO of Samsung Display.
  Yi Chung
  
  Yi Chung is President and CEO of Samsung Display. He is working to strengthen Samsung Display’s dominance in the small- and medium-sized OLED display market for IT devices while fending off growing competition from Chinese rivals. He was born in Seoul in 1966. He graduated from Shinil High School in Seoul and earned a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Sogang University. He received both a master's degree and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH). He joined Samsung Semiconductor’s LCD business division. After moving to Samsung Display, he served as Head of the B/P Development Group and Head of the Panel Development Team in the OLED Business Division. He later worked as Head of the Module Center and Head of the Development Office in the Small and Medium-sized Display Business Division, and subsequently held the positions of Head of the Small and Medium-sized Display Business Division and Head of the IT Business Team concurrently. In November 2024, he was appointed President and CEO of Samsung Display. He is a technology expert with deep knowledge of display process technologies. He is Samsung Display’s first CEO with an engineering background. He also serves as Chairman of the Korea Display Industry Association. #SamsungDisplay #YiChung #OLED #DisplayIndustry #Samsung #ITDisplays #DisplayTechnology #KoreaDisplayIndustryAssociation #SemiconductorIndustry #POSTECH
  NEWS
  - • Apple and Now Amazon Enter Foldables, Samsung Display's Yi Chung Poised to 'Jump Up' with Foldable OLEDs
- CEO of Grand Korea Leisure (GKL)
  Yoon Du-hyeon
  
  Yoon Du-hyeon is the CEO of Grand Korea Leisure (GKL). He is pursuing a transformation of the company from a simple casino operator into a “future-oriented urban tourism platform.” He was born on May 12, 1961 (lunar calendar). Yoon graduated from Kyungpook National University with a degree in English literature and earned a master’s degree from Konkuk University’s Graduate School of Public Administration. He began his career as a reporter for The Seoul Shinmun in 1988 and worked as a journalist for more than 20 years, eventually becoming News Director at YTN. After serving as CEO of YTN Plus (formerly Digital YTN), he was appointed Senior Secretary for Public Relations in the Presidential Office under the Park Geun-hye administration. He later served as Chairman of the Korea Cable Television Association and as a special-appointed professor at Kookmin University. In 2018, he entered politics in earnest by serving as a member of the nomination management committee for the Liberty Korea Party’s local elections and parliamentary by-elections. He subsequently served as Organizational Chairman of the Gyeongsan Party Members’ Council in North Gyeongsang Province, Special Advisor to the Party Leader, and Chairman of the People Power Party’s Gyeongsan chapter in North Gyeongsang Province. He was elected to the 21st National Assembly representing Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, as a member of the Future United Party and later the People Power Party. He also served as a strategic advisory committee member for Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidential campaign. After announcing that he would not run in the 22nd general election, he was appointed CEO of Grand Korea Leisure (GKL) in December 2024. As a former politician, Yoon has faced criticism since his appointment due to labels such as “non-expert” and “parachute appointee,” creating a burden on his leadership. He also faces the challenge of overcoming GKL’s “Grade D” management evaluation rating. #YoonDu-hyeon #GrandKoreaLeisure #GKL #CasinoIndustry #TourismPlatform #PeoplePowerParty #NationalAssembly #YTN #ParkGeunhyeAdministration #KoreaTourism
- Kwon Gi-beom is the chairman of Dongkook Pharmaceutical.
  Kwon Gi-beom
  
  Kwon Gi-beom is the chairman of Dongkook Pharmaceutical. He is approaching the company’s first-ever KRW 1 trillion (US$ 719.4 million) in revenue by expanding the brand competitiveness of its over-the-counter drug business into the cosmetics sector. He was born on March 23, 1967, as the eldest son among two sons and two daughters of Kwon Dong-il, the late former chairman and founder of Dongkook Pharmaceutical. He graduated from Yongsan High School in Seoul and Yonsei University’s Department of Social Welfare. He completed an MBA program at the University of Denver’s business school in the United States. He joined Dongkook Pharmaceutical. In 2002, he became vice president and was appointed CEO at the young age of 34. With the vision of becoming a total healthcare group, he is pursuing balanced growth in prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, medical devices, cosmetics and health functional foods. He is serving as chairman of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association. #KwonGibeom #DongkookPharmaceutical #pharmaceuticals #healthcare #cosmetics #OTCdrugs #medicaldevices #healthfoods #KoreaPharmaceuticalBioPharmaManufacturersAssociation #CEO
- Vice Chairman of Kolmar Korea and Kolmar Holdings
  Yoon Sang-hyun
  
  Yoon Sang-hyun is Vice Chairman of Kolmar Korea. He also serves as Vice Chairman of Kolmar Holdings, the group's holding company. He has focused on expanding the value chain of the cosmetics business and restructuring the governance structure of the Kolmar Group. He was born on December 18, 1974, as the eldest of two children, one son and one daughter, of Chairman Yoon Dong-han. He graduated from the Department of Agricultural Economics at Seoul National University. He earned a master's degree in economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the United Kingdom and a master's degree in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University in the United States. He worked at the U.S.-based consulting firm Bain & Company. He joined Kolmar Korea as a managing director and was later promoted to executive vice president. In 2015, he became CEO of Kolmar Holdings. He served as CEO of Kolmar Korea's cosmetics division and CEO of CJ HealthCare. He was promoted to Vice Chairman and CEO of Kolmar Korea. After stepping down as CEO of Kolmar Korea and CEO of HK inno.N, he became Vice Chairman and CEO of Kolmar Holdings in May 2024. He led large-scale mergers and acquisitions, significantly expanding the company's size. #KolmarKorea #YoonSanghyun #KolmarHoldings #CosmeticsIndustry #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateGovernance #HKinnoN #BainAndCompany #CJHealthCare #KoreanBusinessLeadership
- Chairman of Korea Development Bank
  Park Sang-jin
  
  Park Sang-jin is Chairman of Korea Development Bank. He is working to expand the role of policy financial institutions amid the Lee Jae-myung government’s push for a shift toward productive finance. He was born on March 24, 1962. He graduated from Jeonju High School in North Jeolla Province and Chung-Ang University’s Department of Law. He joined Korea Development Bank in 1990 and handled restructuring, bond management, and court receivership in dedicated task forces for Kia Group, Daewoo Heavy Industries, and Daewoo Motor. In the legal affairs office, he worked as head of the compliance monitoring team and head of the litigation team, and supported the transition to a holding company structure at the privatization task force. He served as head of the compliance monitoring team at KDB Financial Group and as head of KDB’s legal affairs office and compliance officer. After leaving KDB, where he had worked for 30 years, he served as vice president of Seobu Metropolitan Railway before taking office as Chairman of Korea Development Bank in September 2025. He is a policy finance expert well versed in corporate restructuring and financial law. He is the first KDB chairman to come from inside the bank. He faces tasks including the sale of HMM and KDB Life Insurance and the operation of the advanced strategic industries fund. #ParkSangjin #KoreaDevelopmentBank #KDB #policyfinance #productivefinance #LeeJaemyunggovernment #corporaterestructuring #financiallaw #HMM #KDBLifeInsurance

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