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

- CEO, Hansol Paper
  Han Kyung-rok
  
  Han Kyung-rok is CEO of Hansol Paper. He is the eldest son-in-law of Cho Dong-kil, chairman of Hansol Group, and the husband of Cho Na-young, deputy director of Museum SAN. He is working to expand the company's business structure beyond printing paper into packaging and specialty paper and to improve profitability. He was born on March 27, 1979. He graduated from Hanyoung Foreign Language High School and Seoul National University with a degree in economics. He earned a master's degree in financial engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in the United States. After working as a trader at Wells Fargo in the United States, he managed investment assets at Korea Investment Corporation. He joined Hansol Paper in 2014 and was responsible for strategy and marketing. He served as head of Hansol America, the company's US subsidiary, before becoming head of the Printing and Thermal Paper Business Division. He was appointed CEO of Hansol Paper in January 2025. #HanKyungRok #HansolPaper #HansolGroup #ChoDongKil #CarnegieMellonUniversity #SeoulNationalUniversity #WellsFargo #KoreaInvestmentCorporation #HansolAmerica #ExecutiveCareer
- CEO of Shinsegae E&C
  Kang Seung-hyop
  
  Kang Seung-hyop is CEO of Shinsegae E&C. He was born on November 7, 1970. He graduated from Kyungbock High School in Seoul and Korea University with a degree in geography education. He joined Shinsegae. He served as head of the audit team in Shinsegae Group's Strategy Office. He worked in a support management role at Shinsegae E&C before moving to E-Mart, where he was responsible for management and financial affairs in the Management Support Division. He subsequently served as head of the Support Division at E-Mart, Gmarket and Shinsegae Property. He was appointed CEO of Shinsegae Food in 2024 and led efforts to improve profitability by shutting down inefficient businesses. In 2025, after Shinsegae E&C voluntarily delisted from the stock market, he was brought in to rescue the company, which had been recording sharply widening losses every year. #KangSeungHyop #ShinsegaeEC #ShinsegaeFood #EMart #Gmarket #ShinsegaeProperty #ExecutiveCareer #FinancialManagement #CorporateTurnaround #BusinessLeadership
- CEO of CJ ENM
  Yoon Sang-hyun
  
  Yoon Sang-hyun is CEO of CJ ENM. He is focusing on improving the profitability of the entertainment business by securing content intellectual property (IP) and expanding overseas production and distribution operations. He was born on March 1, 1972. He graduated from Korea University with a degree in business administration. He joined CJ Corp. and worked in finance, treasury management, portfolio strategy and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). He served as head of CJ Corp.'s Corporate Strategy Office 1 and head of Management Support at CJ Logistics. He became CEO of CJ ENM's Commerce Division in 2022 and sole CEO of the company in 2024. In a management reshuffle that November, he handed over leadership of the Commerce Division to Lee Sun-young and adjusted his responsibilities to serve as both CEO of the company and head of its Entertainment Division. He is an executive with expertise in finance and strategy who participated in CJ Group's acquisitions of Korea Express and Schwan's. Drawing on his experience leading the mobile transformation of the commerce business, he faces the challenge of turning content and platform competitiveness into stable profits. #YoonSangHyun #CJENM #CEO #EntertainmentBusiness #ContentIP #GlobalExpansion #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateStrategy #MediaPlatforms #BusinessLeadership
  NEWS
  - • Clouds Over CJENM’s Earnings, Yoon Sang-hyun Faces Pressure as Core Business Falters
  - • CJ ENM’s Path to 'Mega OTT' Faces Growing Financial Burden – Will Yoon Sang-hyun Turn to Asset Securitization?
- CEO of Kyobo Book Centre
  Heo Jeong-do
  
  Heo Jeong-do is CEO of Kyobo Book Centre. He was born in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, on January 31, 1963. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Asian history. He joined Kyobo Life Insurance and worked as head of the Corporate Planning Team, Change Support Team and Affiliate Support Team, among other positions. He moved to Kyobo Book Centre and served as head of the Change Promotion Office before being appointed CEO in 2012. He led the company while also serving as CEO of its subsidiary Kyobo Hottracks. He returned to Kyobo Life Insurance, where he worked as head of the PMO Support Team (senior vice president) and head of the Strategic Planning Office. In 2021, he became CEO of subsidiary KCA Claim Adjustment. He returned as CEO of Kyobo Book Centre in 2025. He returned after nine years to rescue the company amid worsening market conditions. In his first year back, he turned the company's operating results profitable, posting operating profit of KRW 6 billion (US$4.3 million). #HeoJeongDo #KyoboBookCentre #KyoboLifeInsurance #KCAClaimAdjustment #KyoboHottracks #CEO #CorporateLeadership #BusinessRecovery #BookRetail #PublishingIndustry
- CEO of Neople
  Yoon Myeong-jin
  
  Yoon Myeong-jin is CEO of Neople. He concurrently serves as head of Neople's Dungeon & Fighter Mobile Development Division and general director of the game. He was born in 1981. He graduated from Sungnam High School in Seoul and Ajou University with a degree in business administration. He considered pursuing a career in finance, but became deeply absorbed in the PC game Dungeon & Fighter after graduating from university. He joined Neople as a developer in the year the company became a subsidiary of Nexon. He served as head of the Dungeon & Fighter Development Department and head of Action Studio. After serving as director of Action Studio and general director, he was appointed CEO of Neople in 2022. He has a deep understanding of Dungeon & Fighter players and the game's intellectual property (IP). He is regarded as one of the key figures behind Dungeon & Fighter's heyday and was brought in to turn the business around amid declining performance and profitability. #YoonMyeongjin #Neople #NeopleCEO #Nexon #DungeonAndFighter #DungeonAndFighterMobile #GameDeveloper #GameIndustry #GameLeadership #GameDevelopment
- Co-CEO and Vice Chairman of Mirae Asset Securities
  Kim Mi-seob
  
  Kim Mi-seob is co-CEO and vice chairman of Mirae Asset Securities. He leads the company under a co-CEO structure with Heo Seon-ho, co-CEO and vice chairman of Mirae Asset Securities, and oversees global business and investment banking (IB). He was born in 1968. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in economics. He joined Mirae Asset Financial Group and served in various positions, including chief financial officer (CFO) of Mirae Asset Hong Kong Asset Management and head of Mirae Asset Global Investments' Singapore and Brazil subsidiaries. He was appointed CEO of Mirae Asset Global Investments in 2014 and led the expansion of its global exchange-traded fund (ETF) business and the acquisition of overseas asset management companies. He moved to Mirae Asset Securities and served as president of the Innovation Promotion Division and then president in charge of global business. He has served as CEO of Mirae Asset Securities since October 2023. He succeeded former chairman Hyun Man Choi, who had worked alongside Mirae Asset Financial Group chairman PARK Hyeon-joo since the group's early days, to lead the second generation of professional management at Mirae Asset Securities. He is regarded as someone who has a deep understanding of chairman PARK Hyeon-joo's global expansion strategy. #KimMiSeob #MiraeAssetSecurities #MiraeAssetFinancialGroup #CoCEO #ViceChairman #GlobalBusiness #InvestmentBanking #MiraeAssetGlobalInvestments #ETF #GlobalExpansion
- Vice Chairman and CEO, Head of HD Hyundai Group’s Shipbuilding Business
  Lee Sang-kyun
  
  Lee Sang-kyun is vice chairman and CEO of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, serving as head of HD Hyundai Group’s shipbuilding business. He is seeking new growth drivers in power generation engines, naval vessels, and offshore plants to address concerns about a peak in the commercial shipbuilding market. He emphasizes safety at worksites to eliminate serious industrial accidents. He was born in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province, on January 28, 1961. He graduated from Jangheung High School in South Jeolla Province and Inha University with a degree in naval architecture. He joined Hyundai Heavy Industries and worked in production management. After serving as vice president in charge of field production operations, he moved to Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, where he served as head of production. He was appointed president and CEO of Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in 2018. After returning to Hyundai Heavy Industries as head of its Shipbuilding & Offshore Business, he was appointed president and CEO of Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2021, supporting Chung Ki-sun, who was then CEO of Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings and Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering. He was promoted to vice chairman in 2025. In 2026, HD Hyundai Group created a new position of vice chairman overseeing its entire shipbuilding business and appointed him to the role. He faces the task of bringing together the capabilities of the group's shipbuilding affiliates and maximizing synergies. He also serves as chairman of the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association. #LeeSangKyun #HDHyundaiHeavyIndustries #HDHyundai #ViceChairman #CEO #Shipbuilding #ProductionManagement #IndustrialSafety #NavalShipbuilding #BusinessLeadership
- CEO-designate of KakaoX
  Kim Do-young
  
  Kim Do-young is CEO-designate of KakaoX and co-chair of the Kakao Group's CA Council. He also serves as other non-executive director of Kakao Mobility, Kakao VX and Kakao Entertainment. He was born on April 25, 1975. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in aerospace engineering and completed an MBA program at Seoul National University's Graduate School of Business. He worked as an IT consultant at Samsung SDS. He later moved to the Investment Banking (IB) Division of Samsung Securities, where he served as head of the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) team and head of Corporate Finance Group 2. He was recruited as chief financial officer (CFO) of Kolon Mobility Group, where he led the company's listing and financial restructuring. He joined Kakao Group in 2025 after being appointed CEO of Kakao Investment. He has also served as head of investment strategy at the CA Council, overseeing investment strategies across the group. In September 2026, he was named CEO-designate of KakaoX, the surviving company following Kakao's spin-off, which will oversee investment and affiliate management. #KimDoYoung #KakaoX #KakaoInvestment #KakaoGroup #CACouncil #SamsungSecurities #KolonMobilityGroup #InvestmentStrategy #CorporateFinance #ExecutiveProfile
- CEO of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts' Resort Division
  Choi Seok-jin
  
  Choi Seok-jin is CEO of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts' Resort Division. He leads Hanwha Hotels & Resorts under a co-CEO structure alongside Kim Kyung-soo, who oversees the Estate Division. He was born in June 1975. He graduated from the University of Seoul with a degree in business administration and joined Hanwha Hotels & Resorts. He worked as head of the Planning and Coordination Team and head of the Resort Planning Team. After serving as head of the Leisure Support Group and head of the Future Strategy Office, he became CEO of Hanwha Next, a subsidiary engaged in the horse-related business, in 2023. He was appointed CEO of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts' Resort Division in 2025. He is a company veteran who has spent 26 years exclusively at Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, rising through internal promotions from a rank-and-file employee to CEO. #ChoiSeokjin #HanwhaHotelsAndResorts #HanwhaNext #ResortDivision #ExecutiveCareer #InternalPromotion #UniversityOfSeoul #FutureStrategy #CorporateLeadership #HospitalityIndustry
- President and CEO of Korea Ginseng Corporation
  Lim Wang-seop
  
  Lim Wang-seop is president and CEO of Korea Ginseng Corporation (KGC). He oversees domestic operations under a co-CEO structure with Ahn Bin, who is responsible for overseas operations. He was born on July 22, 1971. He graduated from Korea University High School and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with a degree in Vietnamese. He completed an MBA program at Korea University Business School. He joined Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation (now KT&G) and worked as head of the ESSE Team. After serving as head of the Brand Office and the Product Innovation Office, he worked as head of the Next Generation Products (NGP) Business Group and head of the NGP Business Division. He led the development of the lil e-cigarette and the expansion of its product lineup. He made consumer convenience the starting point for product innovation. In March 2025, he was appointed president and co-CEO of KGC. He has a background in marketing. In response to the shrinking red ginseng market, he is focusing on creating new demand while expanding Jung Kwan Jang's product lineup and diversifying sales channels. #LimWangseop #KoreaGinsengCorporation #KGC #KTandG #JungKwanJang #ESSE #lil #ElectronicCigarettes #BrandMarketing #RedGinseng

Types of Companies