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

- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- CEO of Jeil Construction
  Heo Man-gong
  
  Heo Man-gong is CEO of Jeil Construction. He leads Jeil Construction under a co-CEO structure with CEO Kim Kyung-soo. He is responsible for the housing and development businesses of Jeil Construction, which has grown by utilizing public housing sites and project financing vehicles (PFVs). He was born on February 11, 1965. In 2014, he became CEO of real estate development company Youngwoo Holdings. He later moved to Jeil Construction, where he served as an executive director. In August 2023, he was appointed CEO of Jeil Construction. #HeoMan-gong #JeilConstruction #KimKyung-soo #realestate #housing #propertydevelopment #publichousingsites #PFV #construction #CEO
- CEO of Daelim
  Jeong In
  
  Jeong In is the CEO of Daelim. He leads the unlisted company at the top of DL Group's governance structure, focusing on adjusting the business portfolio, reorganizing the governance structure, and securing profitability in its own businesses, including trading and materials. He was born in 1973. He graduated from Chosun University with a degree in history. He handled investigation and inspection work at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. He joined Daelim Industrial, now DL E&C, in a management diagnosis role. He served as head of the Compliance Management Office and was appointed CEO of Daelim in DL Group's 2026 executive reshuffle announced in 2025. He is an uncommon professional manager with a background as a prosecution service official. Translator's note: The original text begins with "정인Jeong In은," which appears to contain the English name inserted into the Korean sentence. It was interpreted as "정인은." #JeongIn #Daelim #DLGroup #DLEnC #corporategovernance #businessportfolio #compliancemanagement #trading #materials #professionalmanager
- Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea
  Kim Min-seok
  
  Kim Min-seok is the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. He is working to support the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and lay the groundwork for victory in the 2028 general election by promoting unity within the party and expanding its support base under an agenda focused on people’s livelihoods, pragmatism and unity. He was born on May 29, 1964, in Singil-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul. He graduated from Soongsil High School in Seoul and Seoul National University with a degree in sociology. He earned a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School in the United States and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the graduate school of Tsinghua University in China. He received a doctorate in law from Rutgers University–Newark in the United States. While attending university, he served as president of the Seoul National University Student Council and president of the National Student Association. He was imprisoned after being identified as the mastermind behind the occupation of the U.S. Cultural Center. He entered politics after being recruited by former President Kim Dae-jung. He ran in the 1992 National Assembly election but was defeated. In the 1996 general election, he ran in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo B constituency as a candidate of the National Congress for New Politics and was elected. He won re-election in the 2000 general election. He served as chief of staff to Kim Dae-jung, then president of the Millennium Democratic Party. Ahead of the 16th presidential election, he left the Millennium Democratic Party and served as co-chair of the election campaign committee for Chung Mong-joon, the presidential candidate of National Integration 21. He left National Integration 21 in 2003 and returned to the Millennium Democratic Party. He ran in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo B constituency and was elected in the 2020 and 2024 general elections. As a senior Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, he served as a standing co-chair of Lee Jae-myung’s election campaign committee in the 2025 presidential election. After serving as the first prime minister of the Lee Jae-myung administration, he was elected leader of the Democratic Party of Korea in August 2026, cementing his position as a key leader of the ruling bloc. Translator's note: The opening phrase “김민석Kim Min-seok은” appears to contain a duplication or editing error combining the Korean and English names. It was interpreted as “김민석은.” #KimMinseok #DemocraticPartyofKorea #LeeJaemyung #SouthKoreaPolitics #PrimeMinister #NationalAssembly #Yeongdeungpo #2028GeneralElection #PoliticalLeadership #RulingParty

Types of Companies