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

- President of Pusan National University
  Choi Jae-weon
  
  Choi Jae-weon is the President of Pusan National University. He was born in 1965. He is working to implement AI transformation in line with the times and to push forward the long-standing goal of establishing a veterinary school at the university. He graduated from Busan Dongsung High School and the Department of Control and Instrumentation Engineering at Seoul National University. He received both his master’s and doctoral degrees in Control and Instrumentation Engineering from the graduate school of Seoul National University. He was appointed as a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pusan National University. He served as Director of the Office of Planning, Head of the Institute of Mechanical Technology, Director of the Engineering Education Innovation Center, and Head of the Accreditation Center, before holding positions as Dean of the College of Engineering, Dean of the Graduate School of Industry, Dean of the Graduate School of Environment, and Dean of the Graduate School of Technology Entrepreneurship. He was elected as President in 2024. He has served as Director of the Engineering Education Innovation Leading Center under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, President of the Korean Society of Control, Robotics and Systems, and President of the National Council of Engineering College Deans. He is also serving as Co-Chair of the Busan Science and Technology Council, Co-Chair of the Busan City RISE Committee, and President of the Association of National and Public University Presidents. He is a full member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. #PusanNationalUniversity #ChoiJaeweon #UniversityPresident #AITRANSFORMATION #HigherEducation #EngineeringLeadership #KoreaAcademia #UniversityAdministration #Busan #EngineeringEducation
- CEO of MNC Solution
  Kim Byeong-geun
  
  Kim Byeong-geun is the CEO of MNC Solution. He is working to expand the company's influence in the global defense market while also broadening its business scope into the aerospace sector. He was born in August 1969. He graduated from Jeonbuk National University with a degree in accounting. He began his career at Kumho Tire and served as executive managing director in charge of planning. He joined MNC Solution as vice president and was appointed CEO in August 2024. He is credited with laying the groundwork for the company’s shift from a defense-specialized firm to a global motion control solutions company. He also faces the task of easing growing market concerns as the company’s largest shareholder, a private equity fund, is pursuing a stake sale. #KimByeonggeun #MNCSolution #defenseindustry #globaldefense #motioncontrol #aerospace #Koreanceo #privateequity #stakesale #corporateprofile
- CEO of Hanwha Energy
  Lee Jae-kyu
  
  Lee Jae-kyu is CEO of Hanwha Energy. He is focused on securing a stable revenue structure for Hanwha Energy, which will serve as a source of funds for the owner family's succession process. He was born in April 1971. He graduated from Seodaejeon High School and Korea University, where he majored in trade. After joining Hanwha, he worked at Hanwha Q CELLS as head of the sales planning team, head of global EPC, and head of the U.S. GES business division. After moving to Hanwha Energy and serving as head of the planning office, he went on to serve as an auditor at Hanwha TotalEnergies and was appointed CEO and President of Hanwha Energy in 2024. He enjoys strong trust from the Hanwha owner family. #HanwhaEnergy #LeeJaeKyu #HanwhaGroup #CEO #KoreanBusiness #EnergyIndustry #CorporateLeadership #SuccessionStrategy #HanwhaQCELLS #BusinessProfile
- CEO of Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance
  Kim Jung-hyeon
  
  Kim Jung-hyeon is the CEO of Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance. He is pursuing a strategy to expand sales centered on long-term personal insurance. He is also seeking to expand the business into pet insurance and lifestyle-focused insurance products. He was born on February 13, 1977. He graduated from Daegu Daeryun High School and Seoul National University, where he majored in business administration. He worked as a consultant at A.T. Kearney before moving to Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance in 2015. He served as head of the Change Innovation TFT Part, head of the Auto Insurance Team, head of the Product Strategy Office, and head of the Management Support Office before being appointed CEO in 2023. Along with Kang Byung-kwan, CEO of Shinhan EZ General Insurance, he became the youngest chief executive in the non-life insurance industry. A note on the original Korean text: “김중현Kim Jung-hyeon은” appears to be missing a space between the Korean name and the English name. Also, “최고경영자” can be translated as “CEO” or “chief executive,” and I rendered it in a natural news style. #MeritzFireAndMarineInsurance #KimJunghyeon #insurance #nonlifeinsurance #longterminsurance #petinsurance #lifestyleinsurance #CEO #Koreainsurance #Meritz
- CEO of BGF Retail
  Min Seung-bae
  
  Min Seung Bae is the CEO of BGF Retail. He is accelerating the expansion of global markets and the discovery of new businesses. He was born on August 6, 1971. He graduated from the Department of Physical Education at Seoul National University. He joined BGF Group and served as head of the Project Development Team, head of the Communications Office, and head of the Human Resources and General Affairs Office. He proved his ability to expand the network while serving as head of the Business Development Division and was appointed CEO in November 2023. He led the company into the "KRW 9 trillion club" in revenue for the first time in 2025. He has earned the trust of employees with his inclusive leadership. He communicates in a way that matches the other person's level. #MinSeungBae #BGFRetail #CEO #BGFGroup #globalexpansion #newbusiness #retailindustry #leadership #businessdevelopment #KoreaRetail
- Vice Chairman and CEO of UNID
  Lee Woo-il
  
  Lee Woo-il is Vice Chairman and CEO of UNID. While strengthening the company’s global market dominance in potassium hydroxide, he has presented a goal of achieving KRW 3.5 trillion (US$ 2.5 billion) in revenue by 2030 by making carbon capture and green hydrogen new growth engines. He was born in Seoul on August 8, 1981, as the eldest son of Lee Hwa-young, Chairman of UNID. He graduated from Endicott College in the United States with a degree in business administration and completed an MBA program at the University of Southern California Graduate School of Business in the United States. After joining UNID, he worked in charge of the Americas for the CA business division. He also served as deputy plant manager of the Ulsan plant and head of the Strategic Planning Division. After being promoted to vice president, he was appointed co-CEO in March 2023. He was promoted to vice chairman in 2025. He has been making efforts to foster a horizontal and flexible organizational culture. #UNID #LeeWooil #potassiumhydroxide #carboncapture #greenhydrogen #Koreanchemicalindustry #CEObiography #businessstrategy #Koreanbusiness #corporateleadership
- CEO of Gaon Cable
  Jeong Hyeon
  
  Jeong Hyeon is the CEO of Gaon Cable. He is focusing on strengthening the company's localization capabilities in the North American power distribution cable market, while also accelerating the diversification of its business portfolio into areas such as submarine cables and renewable energy. He was born in April 1966. He graduated from Whimoon High School in Seoul and majored in mathematics at Yonsei University. He began his career at Lucky Fire & Marine Insurance, now KB Insurance, and later moved to LG Construction, now GS Engineering & Construction. He joined Gaon Cable, an affiliate of LS Cable & System, as a manager in the management support team, and was appointed CEO in 2023 after serving as head of the management support and purchasing division and head of the management support headquarters. As a professional manager promoted from within the company, he emphasizes communication, cooperation, and organizational culture. The original text appears to have a spacing issue in “정현Jeong Hyeon,” where a space is missing between the Korean name and the Romanized name. #GaonCable #JeongHyeon #LSCableSystem #NorthAmerica #powerdistributioncable #submarinecable #renewableenergy #CEOprofile #Koreabusiness #organizationalculture
- President and CEO of Hanwha Investment Securities
  Jang Byung-ho
  
  Jang Byung-ho is President and CEO of Hanwha Investment Securities. He has focused on steps to drive results in digital transformation and new business areas. He was born on June 15, 1967, graduated from Yeongdeungpo High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and diplomacy and a master's degree in economics from Sogang University. In 1995, he joined Hanwha Investment & Securities and worked at overseas business sites including Hanwha China in Beijing and Hanwha Qcells in Shanghai. At Hanwha Investment & Securities, he served as head of the overseas business team and head of the infrastructure finance team. He later moved to Hanwha Life Insurance and served as head of the Financial HRC Team and as an executive in charge of the Management Support Team, the People&Culture Team, and the Financial Vision Unit. In 2025, he was appointed CEO of Hanwha Investment & Securities. He is a finance expert who has played roles in the finance and strategy sectors of Hanwha Group for more than 30 years. Note: In the original text, “장병호Jang Byung-ho” appears without a space between the Korean and English names. It would read more naturally as “장병호 Jang Byung-ho.” #JangByungho #HanwhaInvestmentSecurities #HanwhaGroup #digitaltransformation #newbusiness #financeexpert #Koreanexecutive #HanwhaLifeInsurance #SogangUniversity #investmentbanking
- CEO of SeAH Besteel Holdings
  Lee Tae-sung
  
  Lee Tae-sung is the CEO of SeAH Besteel Holdings. He also serves concurrently as CEO of SeAH Holdings. He is focusing on transforming the company into a “global comprehensive materials solution company” centered on high value-added materials. He was born on August 11, 1978, as the eldest son of Lee Woon-hyung, Chairman of SeAH Steel. He graduated from Kent School in the United States and majored in psychology and journalism at Eastern Michigan University. He completed an MBA program at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in China. He worked at POSCO’s China subsidiary before joining SeAH Steel’s local subsidiary in Japan. After moving to SeAH Holdings, he led the acquisition of SeAH Changwon Integrated Special Steel as head of the Strategic Planning Team, spearheading the special steel business. In 2022, he was appointed CEO of SeAH Besteel Holdings and is engaged in “cousin management” alongside his same-age cousin Lee Ju-sung, CEO of SeAH Steel Holdings. He has been recognized for his management capabilities through active M&A and the development of new businesses. He was appointed as the 26th President of the Korea Table Tennis Association. #SeAH #LeeTae-sung #steelindustry #M&A #corporateleadership #materials #globalstrategy #Koreanbusiness #CEO #manufacturing
- CEO of Hyundai Home Shopping
  Han Kwang-young
  
  Han Kwang-young is Vice President and CEO of Hyundai Home Shopping. He faces the task of overcoming the growth limits of TV-centered home shopping and securing new growth drivers based on digital platforms and brands. He was born on August 14, 1966. He graduated from the Department of Business Administration at Hanyang University. He joined Hyundai Department Store and, after working at Hanmoo Shopping, worked at Hyundai Home Shopping as head of the Hmall Business Division and head of the Living Business Division. After serving as Executive Vice President and head of the Sales Division, he was appointed Vice President and CEO of Hyundai Home Shopping in January 2024. He is a sales strategist who has built his entire 30-year career within Hyundai Department Store Group. There are no clear typos in the original text. #HyundaiHomeShopping #HanKwangyoung #HyundaiDepartmentStoreGroup #CEO #homeShopping #digitalStrategy #brandGrowth #Hmall #retailLeadership #KoreaBusiness

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