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

- 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
- Chairman of Dong-A Socio Holdings.
  Kang Jeong-seok
  
  Kang Jeong-seok is chairman of Dong-A Socio Holdings. He serves as chair of the Sustainability Committee and CSO. He was born on October 30, 1964, as the grandson of the late Kang Jung-hee, founder of Dong-A Pharmaceutical, and the fourth son among four sons and four daughters of Kang Shin-ho, honorary chairman of Dong-A Pharmaceutical. He graduated from Chung-Ang University’s Department of Philosophy and the University of Massachusetts in the United States with a degree in business administration, and received a master’s degree in pharmacy from Sungkyunkwan University’s graduate school. In 1989, he joined Dong-A Pharmaceutical and worked as executive director of the medical device business division, head of the medical business division as managing director, and head of the sales division as executive director. In 2006, he was appointed CEO and president of Dong-A Otsuka and concurrently served as CEO and vice president of Dong-A Pharmaceutical. He has served as CEO of Dong-A Socio Holdings since 2013. He became vice chairman in 2015 and chairman in 2017. He was recognized for his management abilities after successfully completing the company’s transition to a holding company structure. He is credited with building expertise and efficiency at each business company and laying the foundation for growth into a global pharmaceutical company. In August 2017, seven months after becoming chairman, he was arrested and jailed on charges of embezzling company funds and providing rebates. After being released from prison, he could not return to management because of employment restrictions, but his rights were restored through a special Liberation Day pardon in 2023. He returned to the company as chair of the Sustainability Committee and CSO. He is participating in management as an unregistered executive, leading to criticism that responsible management is insufficient. #KangJeongseok #DongASocioHoldings #DongAPharmaceutical #DongAOtsuka #CSO #SustainabilityCommittee #pharmaceuticalindustry #holdingcompany #corporategovernance #responsiblemanagement
- President and CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals.
  Lee Dong-hoon
  
  Lee Dong-hoon is President and CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals. He also serves as CEO of the company's U.S. subsidiaries, SK Life Science and SK Life Science Labs. He is focused on putting SK Biopharmaceuticals on a path of profitable growth by expanding U.S. sales of the epilepsy treatment cenobamate. He was born on August 12, 1968. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Seoul National University and completed an MBA program at The Ohio State University. As a certified public accountant, he worked in investment advisory services at KPMG US and Samjong KPMG. After joining Dong-A Pharmaceutical, he served as head of the Business Development Office and was appointed CEO of Dong-A Socio Holdings in 2013. He also held positions including Executive Vice President and Head of Global Business at Dong-A ST. He later joined SK Group, serving as Head of Investment Center 3 and Head of the Bio Investment Center. He led SK Group’s biotechnology investments and mergers and acquisitions, participating in the establishment of a joint venture with Roivant and investments in cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs). In December 2022, he was appointed President of SK Biopharmaceuticals and has served as CEO since March 2023. While working to develop cenobamate into the first global blockbuster drug created by South Korea’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, he is also expanding the company’s business areas into radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT), artificial intelligence (AI)-based drug development, and digital healthcare. He is regarded as an investment specialist with strong expertise in finance and business development. #SKBiopharmaceuticals #LeeDonghoon #Cenobamate #SKLifeScience #Biotechnology #PharmaceuticalIndustry #DrugDevelopment #RadiopharmaceuticalTherapy #AIHealthcare #GlobalBlockbusterDrug
  NEWS
  - • Lee Dong-hoon Drives SK Biopharm’s AI Platform to Dominate Epilepsy Care
  - • SK Biopharm Signs Technology Transfer Deal with Chinese JV for Up to KRW 79.7 Billion
- CEO of SK Securities.
  Jeon Woo-jong
  
  Jeon Woo-jong is the CEO and President of SK Securities. He leads the company under a co-CEO system with CEO Jung Joon-ho. He aims to strengthen the company’s position as a small but strong securities firm by improving its business structure and securing future growth engines. He was born in May 1964. He graduated from Sogang University with a degree in business administration and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Sogang University Graduate School. He entered the securities industry by joining Dongwon Economic Research Institute, now the Korea Investment & Securities Research Center. He moved to SK Securities, where he worked as head of the risk management office, head of the asset management division, and head of the Hong Kong subsidiary. After serving as vice president and head of the management support division, he was appointed CEO and President of SK Securities in January 2023. He is credited with maintaining the company’s basic strength by focusing on “substantial management” and “risk defense” after taking office as CEO at a time when volatility in domestic and global financial markets had reached extreme levels due to the slump in the PF market and other factors. #JeonWoojong #SKSecurities #CEO #securities #riskmanagement #assetmanagement #financialmarkets #PFmarket #businessstructure #futuregrowth
- CEO and President of Hana Materials
  Kim Hyun-joo
  
  Kim Hyun-joo is CEO and president of Hana Materials. He was born on June 12, 1965. He graduated from Kwangwoon University with a degree in electrical engineering. He began his career by joining Samsung Electronics. He worked as an executive in semiconductor memory sales (executive vice president) and as head of Samsung Electronics Japan (president). He moved to Samsung Display and served as vice president and head of the sales team. In March 2024, he was recruited as CEO and president of Hana Materials. He is a global sales expert. In particular, he has built a strong network in the Japanese market and the mobile sector. #KimHyun-joo #HanaMaterials #CEO #SamsungElectronics #SamsungDisplay #semiconductor #memorysales #Japanmarket #mobilesector #globalsales
- President of Samsung Medical Center
  Park Seung-woo
  
  Park Seung-woo is the president of Samsung Medical Center. He is focusing on building a biomedical platform and creating a future medical ecosystem. He was born in 1962. He graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine and earned a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in medicine from Seoul National University Graduate School. He completed his internship and residency at Seoul National University Hospital and worked as an internal medicine fellow and attending physician at Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center. After joining Samsung Medical Center, he trained at Mayo Clinic in the United States. At Samsung Medical Center, he served as head of the Information Strategy Office, head of the QI Office, and head of planning affairs and the Planning Office. In 2021, he was appointed president of Samsung Medical Center. In January 2025, he was reappointed. He is an authority in the field of heart disease. He served as chairman of the Korean Society of Echocardiography, head of the Smart Health Research Group of the Korean Society of Cardiology, and vice chairman of the Korean Hospital Association. #ParkSeungwoo #SamsungMedicalCenter #hospitalpresident #biomedicalplatform #futuremedicine #heartdisease #cardiology #MayoClinic #SeoulNationalUniversity #KoreanHospitalAssociation

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