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

- CEO of the Agricultural Economy Division at NongHyup Agribusiness Group
  Kim Ju-yang
  
  Kim Ju-yang is CEO of the Agricultural Economy Division at NongHyup Agribusiness Group. He is focusing on reforming the agricultural product distribution structure. He is also working to strengthen management fundamentals to end two consecutive years of losses. He was born in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, in 1967. He graduated from Jinju Dongmyeong High School and the Department of Agriculture at Seoul National University. In 1992, he joined the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation as a clerk at its Pyeongtaek County branch. He served as head of NongHyup Grain and head of the Economic Strategy Team in the Economic Planning Department. He also held key positions in the agricultural economy sector, including head of the Horticulture Business Department and head of the Producing Area Horticulture Department. After serving as head of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation's Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters and head of the Producing Area Wholesale Division at NongHyup Agribusiness Group, he was appointed CEO of the Agricultural Economy Division at NongHyup Agribusiness Group in 2026. He is regarded as a hands-on leader with extensive expertise in agricultural product distribution and policies for producing regions. #KimJu-yang #NongHyup #NongHyupAgribusinessGroup #agriculture #agriculturaldistribution #agriculturalproducts #farmpolicy #distributionreform #agriculturaleconomy #management
- CEO of Korea Line Corporation
  Min Sang-ki
  
  Min Sang-ki is CEO of Korea Line Corporation. He was born on January 4, 1955, in Okcheon-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province. He graduated from Jungkyung High School in Seoul and the College of Animal Science at Konkuk University. He earned both a master’s degree and a doctorate in food engineering from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany. While serving as a professor at Konkuk University, he held positions including president of the faculty council, dean of the graduate school, executive vice president for academic affairs, and president of the university. In July 2026, he took office as the new CEO of Korea Line Corporation, a shipping affiliate of SM Group. During his tenure as president of Konkuk University, he actively reformed the curriculum by strengthening education for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including AI, and fostering interdisciplinary talent suited to industry needs. His appointment as the head of a shipping company drew attention because it was unusual for someone from academia to take such a position. #MinSangki #KoreaLine #SMGroup #shipping #KonkukUniversity #academia #AIeducation #FourthIndustrialRevolution #interdisciplinarytalent #leadership
- Chairman of Sajo Group
  Choo Chin-woo
  
  Choo Chin-woo is chairman of Sajo Group. He returned as CEO of Sajo Industries 21 years after stepping back from frontline management and is focusing on identifying new businesses while working to increase revenue, improve profitability and enhance efficiency across the group. He was born on August 28, 1949, in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, as the eldest son among two sons and three daughters of Joo In-yong, founder and chairman of Sajo Industries. He graduated from Kyunggi High School in Seoul and Seoul National University with a degree in political science. He earned a master's degree in political science from Columbia University in the United States and a doctorate in political science from Hanyang University Graduate School. He began his career at Korea Exchange Bank before joining Sajo Industries, founded by his father, as vice president. He became president and CEO of Sajo Industries in 1979 and later rose to chairman. He returned as CEO of Sajo Industries in March 2025. Through aggressive mergers and acquisitions (M&A), he transformed the fisheries-focused company into a large business group spanning fisheries, livestock, leisure and IT. He served as a lawmaker for the 15th and 16th National Assemblies representing Goryeong and Seongju in North Gyeongsang Province as a member of the Grand National Party, now the People Power Party. He is known as a "bold strategist." #ChooChinwoo #SajoGroup #SajoIndustries #fisheries #MergersAndAcquisitions #businessmanagement #corporategrowth #livestock #leisure #IT
- President of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)
  Bae Choong-sik
  
  Bae Choong-sik is the 18th president of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). He faces the tasks of quickly normalizing problems such as delays in policy implementation caused by a 16-month vacancy in the presidency and restoring trust in the global academic community, which was damaged after KAIST was excluded from evaluations by a major global university ranking organization. He was born on March 27, 1963, in Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province. He graduated from the Department of Aeronautical Engineering at Seoul National University and earned a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the university’s graduate school. He received a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom. He worked as a researcher at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, now the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, and as an engineering researcher at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom. After being appointed a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Chungnam National University, he moved to KAIST as a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In July 2026, he took office as president of KAIST. He is a leading authority in environmentally friendly energy and carbon-neutral power engineering. He is a full member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. He has served as a technical adviser to Hyundai Motor, a specially appointed professor at the Institute of Science Tokyo, formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology, and a distinguished professor at Korea Electric Power Corp. He has also participated in shaping national science and technology policy, including serving as chair of the climate division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Science and Technology Diplomacy Advisory Committee. He became the first Korean to be named an SAE Fellow, the highest level of recognition in the powertrain field, by SAE International. #BaeChoongsik #KAIST #KAISTPresident #MechanicalEngineering #CarbonNeutrality #CleanEnergy #PowerEngineering #ScienceTechnology #SAEInternational #HigherEducation
- CEO and President of POSCO E&C
  Song Chi-young
  
  Song Chi-young is CEO and President of POSCO E&C. He faces the tasks of preventing serious industrial accidents in advance, resolving structural problems that threaten safety, and improving the company’s sluggish business performance. He was born on November 19, 1964, in Busan. He graduated from Busan Dong High School and the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pukyong National University. He completed an MBA program at the Graduate School of Technology and Innovation Management at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology). He joined POSCO and served as head of the Global O&M Group at the Steel Production Strategy Office and deputy head of the Safety and Environment Department. After serving as head of the Safety and Health Center and Chief Safety Officer (CSO) at POSCO E&C, he was appointed CEO and President of POSCO M-Tech in 2024. He later moved to POSCO and served as Vice President and head of the Equipment Reinforcement Task Force. In 2025, after President Chung Hee-min resigned following a series of worker safety accidents, Song was abruptly appointed CEO and President of POSCO E&C. He is serving as the 37th president of the Korea Gymnastics Association. #SongChiYoung #POSCOEC #POSCOMTech #POSCO #construction #industrialSafety #seriousAccidents #safetyManagement #KoreaGymnasticsAssociation #corporateLeadership
- President and CEO of Korea Southern Power
  Kim Jun-dong
  
  Kim Jun-dong is CEO and President of Korea Southern Power. Amid ongoing discussions on integrating public power generation companies, he is simultaneously pushing ahead with the phaseout of coal-fired power plants, the construction of replacement liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plants, and the expansion of renewable energy. He was born on December 17, 1961, in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Yeongsin High School in Daegu and Seoul National University with a degree in political science. He earned a master's degree in public administration from Seoul National University's Graduate School of Public Administration and a Ph.D. in economics from the graduate school of Missouri State University in the United States. He passed the 28th Higher Civil Service Examination and began his public service career at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Under the Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as senior administrative officer in the Office of the Secretary for Knowledge Economy at the Office of the President, spokesperson for the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, director general for New Industries Policy, and director general for Climate Change, Energy and Resources Development Policy. Ahead of the 2012 presidential election, he entered politics as chief expert adviser to the Knowledge Economy Committee of the Saenuri Party. He returned to public service as deputy minister for Energy and Resources at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and later left government service after serving as deputy minister for Planning and Coordination. In November 2024, he was appointed the 10th President of Korea Southern Power. #KimJunDong #KoreaSouthernPower #KOSPO #powergeneration #energytransition #coalphaseout #LNG #renewableenergy #publicenergycompanies #SouthKoreaEnergy
- Vice Chairman and CEO of BHI
  Lee Geun-heung
  
  Lee Geun-heung is Vice Chairman and CEO of BHI. He is working to strengthen the company's position in the global market for power generation equipment and heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs). He is also focusing on developing next-generation energy businesses, including green hydrogen and small modular reactors (SMRs), as well as expanding the company's engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) business. He was born on February 23, 1959. He graduated from Pusan National University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He worked at Poongsung Electric in the mechanical design and foreign procurement divisions. He co-founded BHI with former CEO Woo Jong-in and others and served as Vice Chairman. After Woo stepped down as CEO due to health issues, Lee took charge of management as CEO in 2025. He is an engineer-turned-executive with more than 30 years of experience in the power generation equipment industry. He helped elevate BHI's standing as the only company in South Korea to possess proprietary technology from all four of the world's leading HRSG technology providers. #LeeGeunheung #BHI #HRSG #powergeneration #energy #greenhydrogen #SMR #EPC #powergenerationequipment #engineering
- Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at the Blue House
  Han Chan-sik
  
  Han Chan-sik is the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs in the presidential office under the Lee Jae-myung administration. He is responsible for completing prosecutorial reform ahead of the launch of the Prosecution Office and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency in October 2026. He was born in Seoul in 1968. He graduated from Seongnam High School in Seoul and Seoul National University with a degree in judicial law, and received a Master of Laws degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in the United States. He passed the 31st National Bar Examination and completed the 21st class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute before beginning his career as a prosecutor at the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office in 1992. He served in positions including head of the Advanced Crime Investigation Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, spokesperson for the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, chief of the Anyang Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, and director-general of the Human Rights Bureau at the Ministry of Justice. After being promoted to chief prosecutor, he successively served as deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, chief prosecutor of the Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office, chief prosecutor of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, and chief prosecutor of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. While serving as chief prosecutor of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, he directed the investigation into the Moon Jae-in administration's alleged "Environment Ministry blacklist." He left the prosecution ahead of Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration as prosecutor general. He worked as a managing partner at Amicus Law Firm before moving to Kim & Chang. In June 2026, he was appointed Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs in the Office of the President, succeeding former Senior Secretary Bong Wook. He is the son-in-law of Choi Byung-ryul, former leader of the Saenuri Party, now the People Power Party. #HanChan-sik #LeeJae-myung #SeniorSecretaryForCivilAffairs #prosecutorialreform #ProsecutionOffice #SeriousCrimesInvestigationAgency #SouthKorea #prosecution #KimAndChang #OfficeOfThePresident
- Mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City
  Park Chan-dae
  
  Park Chan-dae is mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City. He is focusing his efforts on reviving the stagnant growth momentum of Incheon. He is also paying attention to resolving the city's fiscal deficit. He was born on May 10, 1967, in Michuhol District, Incheon. He graduated from Dongincheon High School in Incheon and earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Inha University. He received a master's degree in business administration from the graduate school of Seoul National University. He worked as a certified public accountant at Sedong Accounting Corporation before working at Samil PwC, the Financial Supervisory Service and Hanmi Accounting Corporation. He ran in Incheon Yeonsu A constituency in the 20th National Assembly election and was elected to the National Assembly three consecutive times through the 22nd general election. He served as floor spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, senior vice chair of the party's Policy Committee, senior deputy floor leader for policy and a Supreme Council member before being elected floor leader in 2024. During the 21st presidential election, he served as standing general campaign chairman of the Democratic Party's Central Election Committee and played the role of the "front-line defender" for Lee Jae-myung, the party's presidential candidate. He was elected mayor of Incheon in the 9th nationwide local elections in 2026. #ParkChan-dae #Incheon #IncheonMayor #DemocraticParty #LocalGovernment #RegionalDevelopment #FiscalDeficit #NationalAssembly #LeeJae-myung #SouthKorea
- CEO of Orion Holdings and Vice Chairman of Orion
  Hur Inn-chul
  
  Hur Inn-chul is Vice Chairman of Orion Group. After Chairman Dam Chul-gon and Vice Chairwoman Lee Hwa-kyung, the owner couple, stepped down as registered directors, Hur has led the group’s efforts to identify new businesses and develop mid- to long-term growth strategies. He was born on March 26, 1960, in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Masan High School and Yonsei University with a degree in business administration. After handling finance-related work at Samsung C&T, he moved to Shinsegae Group. He served as Vice President of Shinsegae’s Management Support Office, Vice President of Shinsegae Group’s Corporate Strategy Office, and President of the Corporate Strategy Office before being appointed CEO and President of E-Mart in 2012. In 2014, he joined Orion Group as Vice Chairman and has since served as CEO of Orion Holdings and overseen the overall management of Orion. At Orion Group, he spearheaded the establishment of a holding company structure, diversification of the business portfolio, and the group’s entry into the bio business. #HurInnchul #OrionGroup #OrionHoldings #Orion #businessstrategy #growthstrategy #portfolioDiversification #biobusiness #holdingcompany #corporatemanagement
  NEWS
  - • "Only M&A Can Deliver" — Hur Inn-chul’s KRW 10 Trillion Dream for Orion Faces Shortage of Attractive Targets

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