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

- CEO of Aekyung Chemical and Co-CEO of AK Holdings
  Go Joon
  
  Go Joon is CEO of Aekyung Chemical. He also serves as co-CEO of holding company AK Holdings. He is focused on transforming Aekyung Chemical's business structure from commodity petrochemicals to high-value-added specialty materials. He was born on May 6, 1973. He graduated from Whimoon High School in Seoul and Yonsei University with a degree in chemical engineering. He earned a master's degree in chemical engineering from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). He joined U.S. consulting firm Bain & Company and worked as a consultant. He later moved to Hyosung, where he served as head of the Organizational Management Team. He worked at U.S. executive search and consulting firms Russell Reynolds and Korn Ferry International as an associate executive director and partner, respectively. He joined Aekyung Group and, after serving in roles including head of the Strategic Planning Team at AK Holdings, was appointed CEO of AK Plaza. He was selected as CEO of AK Holdings in January 2025 and has concurrently served as CEO of Aekyung Chemical since August 2026. He is credited with bringing Aekyung Group's retail business, which had struggled in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, back to normal. A former consultant, he is regarded as one of Aekyung Group's leading strategists. #GoJoon #AekyungChemical #AKHoldings #AKPlaza #BainAndCompany #KornFerry #KAIST #YonseiUniversity #AekyungGroup #ExecutiveBiography
- CEO, Shindonagh Construction
  Chae Jung-sup
  
  Chae Jung-sup is CEO of Shindonagh Construction. He leads Shindonagh Construction as co-CEO alongside Kim Se-jun, the son of Chairman Kim Yong-seon. He is focusing on normalizing management at Shindonagh Construction following its early exit from corporate rehabilitation, while expanding in-house development projects such as the Yongsan headquarters development and increasing orders for urban renewal and public housing projects. He was born in Damyang, South Jeolla Province, on February 2, 1965. He graduated from Chonnam National University with a degree in business administration and earned a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Real Estate Studies at Konkuk University. He joined Bosung Construction, an affiliate of BS Group, where he worked in development, construction sales and corporate planning. He later moved to Hanyang, another BS Group affiliate, and worked in its Strategic Business Division and Development Business Division. He was appointed CEO of Hanyang in 2018. He later served as CEO of affiliates Bosung Industry and Southwest Coast Enterprise City Development. He was recruited as CEO of Shindonagh Construction in September 2026. He is a development business expert with more than 30 years of experience in development projects, enterprise cities and large-scale mixed-use development projects.
- Chairman, Celltrion Group
  Seo Jung-jin
  
  Seo Jung-jin is chairman of Celltrion Group. He is pushing to transform Celltrion from a biosimilar company into a new drug developer. He was born in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, on October 23, 1957. He graduated from Jemulpo High School in Incheon and Konkuk University with a degree in industrial engineering. He earned a master's degree from the Graduate School of Industrial Engineering at Konkuk University. He worked at Samsung Electro-Mechanics. While handling consulting for Daewoo Motor at the Korea Productivity Center, he was recruited as an adviser to Daewoo Motor. When Daewoo Group was dismantled in the wake of the IMF financial crisis, he founded Nexol, the predecessor of Celltrion, with former Daewoo Motor colleagues in 1999 and entered the biosimilar business. He developed Remsima, the world's first antibody biosimilar. He stepped down from management in 2020 after establishing a professional management system at Celltrion Group, but returned in 2023. He is a strong workaholic and is known for his drive.
  NEWS
  - • Celltrion Holdings’ NASDAQ Listing Roadmap: Seo Jung-jin’s Solution to Succession and Tax Challenges?
  - • Seo Jung-jin’s KRW 5 Trillion Sales Target for Celltrion Hinges on U.S. Performance of Zymfentra
- President and CEO of SK Energy and SK Geo Centric
  Kim Jong-hwa
  
  Kim Jong-hwa is president and CEO of SK Energy and president and CEO of SK Geo Centric. He was born on July 30, 1967. He graduated from Hanyang University with a degree in industrial chemistry. He began his career as an engineer at SK Innovation, formerly Korea Oil Corporation. He served as head of engineering at SK Energy before moving to SK Innovation, where he headed the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Division and served as chief safety officer (CSO). He later worked at SK Geo Centric as CSO and head of production. He served as CSO of SK Energy and head of SK Innovation’s Ulsan Complex (CLX). He was appointed president and CEO of SK Energy in 2024 and has concurrently served as president and CEO of SK Geo Centric since 2025. With both the refining and petrochemical sectors facing downturns, he has simultaneously taken on the tasks of restructuring the naphtha cracking center (NCC) facilities in the Ulsan petrochemical complex, reorganizing the waste-plastic recycling business, and integrating refining and chemical operations. #KimJonghwa #SKEnergy #SKGeoCentric #SKInnovation #UlsanCLX #IndustrialChemistry #ChiefSafetyOfficer #Refining #Petrochemicals #CorporateBiography
- President of Korea Securities Depository
  Lee Yoon-soo
  
  Lee Yoon-soo is president of Korea Securities Depository. He is focusing on building infrastructure for digital assets, including token securities. He is also accelerating preparations for the transition infrastructure required for a shorter stock settlement cycle of T+1. He was born in 1969. He graduated from Gwangseong High School in Incheon and Seoul National University with a degree in international economics. He later completed an MBA program at the University of Florida in the United States. After passing the 39th Higher Civil Service Examination, he began his public-service career as a deputy director at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. He moved to the Financial Supervisory Commission, where he served in positions including head of the Financial Market Analysis Division, Insurance Division and Banking Division. After serving as head of the Capital Market Investigation Unit and director general of the Capital Markets Bureau, he served as commissioner of the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and standing commissioner of the Securities and Futures Commission. He was appointed president of Korea Securities Depository in 2026. He is a capital-market policy expert from the Financial Services Commission. He emphasizes “professional ties,” or relationships formed through work. He previously served as an administrative officer in the Office of the Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs under President Lee Myung-bak and also worked on President Park Geun-hye’s presidential transition committee.
- President of Korea Gas Corporation
  Hong Eui-rak
  
  Hong Eui-rak is president of Korea Gas Corporation. He is working to transform the company into an “energy platform company.” He is also focusing on securing stable energy supply capabilities in response to the restructuring of the global energy supply chain. He was born in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province, on March 11, 1955. He graduated from Keisung High School in Daegu and Korea University with a degree in agricultural economics. He founded Krones Korea, a machinery equipment and systems development and manufacturing company, and led the company for more than 20 years. He entered politics as spokesperson for the North Gyeongsang Province chapter of the Uri Party. After unsuccessfully running for governor of North Gyeongsang Province as the Democratic Party candidate in 2010, he entered the National Assembly as a proportional representative in the 19th general election. In the 20th general election, he ran as an independent in Daegu’s Buk-gu B constituency and was elected. He served as deputy mayor for economic affairs of Daegu and as chairman of the Southern Region Economic Policy Committee of presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung’s central election campaign committee during the 20th presidential election. He was appointed president of Korea Gas Corporation in 2026. He is the oldest chief in the corporation’s history. He faces the tasks of restoring financial soundness and enhancing corporate value. #HongEuirak #KoreaGasCorporation #KOGAS #EnergyPlatform #EnergySecurity #NaturalGas #LNG #Daegu #KoreaUniversity #PublicEnterprise
- Chairman and CEO of BNK Financial Group
  Bin Dae-in
  
  Bin Dae-in is chairman and CEO of BNK Financial Group. He is focusing on transforming the group’s business model around productive finance and securing future growth engines through artificial intelligence (AI) transformation. He was born in Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on July 8, 1960. He graduated from Busan Horticultural High School and Kyungsung University with a degree in law. He earned a master’s degree in law from the graduate school of Kyungsung University. He joined Busan Bank and worked as head of the Management Innovation Department and the Human Resources Department. He served as manager of the Sasang Industrial Complex Branch, head of the Northern Sales Division and executive vice president. After serving as acting president of Busan Bank, he was appointed president of the bank in 2017. In 2023, two years after leaving upon completing his term, he returned as chairman and CEO of BNK Financial Group. His key management priorities include expanding productive finance in Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province and enhancing corporate value. Known as a diligent and meticulous “model student,” he demonstrates gentle and rational leadership.
  NEWS
  - • BNK’s Path to a Full-Service Financial Group Still Distant – Bin Dae-in’s ‘Too Slow’ Leadership
- President and CEO of Shinyoung Securities
  Geum Jung-ho
  
  Geum Jung-ho is president and CEO of Shinyoung Securities. He leads Shinyoung Securities under a co-CEO structure with President and CEO Kim Dae-il, with Geum overseeing investment banking (IB) and Kim heading wealth management (WM). He is working to develop investment banking into one of the company’s core growth engines while maintaining its conservative risk management approach. He was born on January 4, 1966. He graduated from Shinil High School in Seoul and Yonsei University with a degree in business administration. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from Yonsei University’s graduate school. He entered the financial investment industry by joining Tong Yang Merchant Bank. He worked as head of the bond underwriting team at Korea Investment & Securities, head of the IB team at Bridge Securities and head of the corporate finance team at Dongbu Securities. He moved to Shinyoung Securities as a director in the Investment Banking Department. He later led the company’s investment banking business while serving as an executive in charge of the IB Coverage Group, a director in the Corporate Finance Department, an executive and division head in charge of IB, and head of IB. After serving as head of IB, he was promoted to president and appointed co-CEO in 2025. He has pursued a strategy of developing a broad range of businesses—including initial public offerings (IPOs), debt capital markets (DCM), structured finance, real estate finance and private equity—rather than concentrating the company’s capabilities on a particular investment banking field.
- Chairman, National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives
  Noh Dong-jin
  
  Noh Dong-jin is chairman of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives. He was born in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on November 13, 1954, as the son of an ark shell farmer. He graduated from Changshin University with a degree in Chinese language. He worked in high-frequency heat treatment at the Changwon National Industrial Complex and sold fish at Jagalchi Market in Busan. After being selected as a successor in the fisheries industry, he inherited the ark shell farming business following his father's death. He was elected twice as head of Jinhae Fisheries Cooperative. In 2023, he ran in the election for chairman of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives and was elected. He has made strengthening the competitiveness of economic business operations, ensuring the safety of fishermen and improving the financial soundness of member cooperatives his key tasks. He serves as chairman of the Fisheries Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and chairman of the Korea Federation of Fisheries Industries. #NohDongjin #Suhyup #Jinhae #ArkShellFarming #Fisheries #JinhaeFisheriesCooperative #ICA #KoreaFisheries #Fishermen #CooperativeLeadership
- CEO of L&F
  Heo Jae-hong
  
  Heo Jae-hong is the CEO of L&F. He also serves as chairman of the board of directors. He was born on November 24, 1976, as the second of three children, two sons and one daughter, of Heo Jeon-soo, chairman of Seronics. He graduated from Yonsei University with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and earned a master's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Southern California (USC) in the United States. He worked at LG.Philips' LCD Research Center. After joining L&F's research center, he moved to Seronics, where he became a director. After his father, Chairman Heo Jeon-soo, died in 2010, Heo became CEO of Seronics and also took the helm of L&F. After stepping down as CEO, he served as chairman of the board before returning to frontline management in 2026. He is seeking to turn around the company's performance by focusing on high-nickel cathode materials and non-Chinese LFP cathode materials. At the same time, he is also focusing on diversifying the company's customer base to improve its overly dependent revenue structure. He is a fourth-generation owner-manager of the broader GS family. #HeoJaeHong #L&F #Seronics #cathodematerials #highnickel #LFP #batteryindustry #customerdiversification #GSfamily #electricvehiclebatteries
  NEWS
  - • L&F’s Expanding Investments Deepen Heo Jae-hong’s Control Dilemma

Types of Companies