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

- Kwon Gi-beom is the chairman of Dongkook Pharmaceutical.
  Kwon Gi-beom
  
  Kwon Gi-beom is the chairman of Dongkook Pharmaceutical. He is approaching the company’s first-ever KRW 1 trillion (US$ 719.4 million) in revenue by expanding the brand competitiveness of its over-the-counter drug business into the cosmetics sector. He was born on March 23, 1967, as the eldest son among two sons and two daughters of Kwon Dong-il, the late former chairman and founder of Dongkook Pharmaceutical. He graduated from Yongsan High School in Seoul and Yonsei University’s Department of Social Welfare. He completed an MBA program at the University of Denver’s business school in the United States. He joined Dongkook Pharmaceutical. In 2002, he became vice president and was appointed CEO at the young age of 34. With the vision of becoming a total healthcare group, he is pursuing balanced growth in prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, medical devices, cosmetics and health functional foods. He is serving as chairman of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association. #KwonGibeom #DongkookPharmaceutical #pharmaceuticals #healthcare #cosmetics #OTCdrugs #medicaldevices #healthfoods #KoreaPharmaceuticalBioPharmaManufacturersAssociation #CEO
- Chairman of Korea Development Bank
  Park Sang-jin
  
  Park Sang-jin is Chairman of Korea Development Bank. He is working to expand the role of policy financial institutions amid the Lee Jae-myung government’s push for a shift toward productive finance. He was born on March 24, 1962. He graduated from Jeonju High School in North Jeolla Province and Chung-Ang University’s Department of Law. He joined Korea Development Bank in 1990 and handled restructuring, bond management, and court receivership in dedicated task forces for Kia Group, Daewoo Heavy Industries, and Daewoo Motor. In the legal affairs office, he worked as head of the compliance monitoring team and head of the litigation team, and supported the transition to a holding company structure at the privatization task force. He served as head of the compliance monitoring team at KDB Financial Group and as head of KDB’s legal affairs office and compliance officer. After leaving KDB, where he had worked for 30 years, he served as vice president of Seobu Metropolitan Railway before taking office as Chairman of Korea Development Bank in September 2025. He is a policy finance expert well versed in corporate restructuring and financial law. He is the first KDB chairman to come from inside the bank. He faces tasks including the sale of HMM and KDB Life Insurance and the operation of the advanced strategic industries fund. #ParkSangjin #KoreaDevelopmentBank #KDB #policyfinance #productivefinance #LeeJaemyunggovernment #corporaterestructuring #financiallaw #HMM #KDBLifeInsurance
- CEO of Korea Railroad Corporation
  Kim Tae-seung
  
  Kim Tae-seung is the CEO of Korea Railroad Corporation. He faces the tasks of integrating high-speed rail, strengthening safety, and improving finances. He was born on October 29, 1961, in Gochang, North Jeolla Province. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in economics and received a master’s degree and a doctorate in economics from Seoul National University’s graduate school. He began his career in the Transportation Research Office at the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements. He worked as a policy secretary at the National Assembly Secretariat. He served as a senior researcher at the SOC Research Center of the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements and as a senior research fellow at the Centre for Transportation Studies at the University of British Columbia in Canada. He headed the Northeast Asia, Logistics and Transportation Economics Research Center at the Korea Transport Institute and served as vice president of the Gyeonggi Research Institute. He later became a professor in the Asia Pacific School of Logistics at Inha University’s College of Business Administration. In February 2026, he was finally selected through a public recruitment process for the position of CEO of Korea Railroad Corporation. #KimTae-seung #KoreaRailroadCorporation #KORAIL #highspeedrail #railwaysafety #financialimprovement #transportationpolicy #railintegration #logistics #publiccorporation
- President and CEO of ISU Specialty Chemical
  Lyu Seung-ho
  
  Lyu Seung-ho is President and CEO of ISU Specialty Chemical. He is focusing on establishing commercial production facilities for lithium sulfide (Li2S), a key material for all-solid-state batteries, and securing a leading position in the global supply chain. He is also concentrating on expanding investment in TDM, the company’s existing flagship product. He was born on April 1, 1963. He graduated from Kyungnam High School in Busan and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Seoul National University. He also received a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the graduate school of Seoul National University. After joining ISU, he worked as head of the Strategic Planning Team and executive in charge of management planning. He later served as head of the Business Planning Division at ISU Abxis before being appointed CEO of ISU Abxis in 2013. He moved to ISU Chemical, where he served as head of the Safety Technology Division and plant manager, and was appointed CEO in 2016. In 2023, he was selected as President and CEO of ISU Specialty Chemical, which was launched through a spin-off from ISU Chemical. He is regarded as an expert in fine chemicals. He has served as a full member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea and as senior vice chairman of the Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers. #ISUSpecialtyChemical #LyuSeungho #AllSolidStateBattery #LithiumSulfide #Li2S #BatteryMaterials #FineChemicals #ISUChemical #TDM #ChemicalEngineering
- CEO of GS P&L
  Park Min-su
  
  Park Min-su is CEO of GS P&L. He faces the task of “making full-fledged results visible” in the second year since the company’s launch. He was born in September 1970. He graduated from Sogang University with a degree in economics. He worked at GS Home Shopping as head of the investment management division. He moved to GS Retail, where he served as head of the management support division, and later worked at GS Networks as head of the management support group. In March 2026, he was selected as CEO of GS P&L. He contributed to improving business support capabilities and streamlining financial structures at GS Group’s major retail and logistics affiliates. #ParkMinsu #GSPNL #GSGroup #CEO #retail #logistics #GSHomeShopping #GSRetail #GSNetworks #businessmanagement
- Chairman and CEO of Mezzion
  Park Dong-hyun
  
  Park Dong-hyun is chairman and CEO of Mezzion. He faces the urgent task of securing financial stability amid concerns over capital impairment. He was born on August 15, 1956. He graduated from Yale University in the United States with a degree in economics and earned a master’s degree in accounting from New York University’s business school. He completed an MBA program at Stanford Graduate School of Business. He worked as a manager in the corporate audit division of KPMG in the United States and as a director in Merrill Lynch’s investment banking group. After returning to Korea, he founded Feist Investment and advised on corporate mergers and acquisitions. After serving as an outside director of Dong-A Pharmaceutical, he was recruited in 2002 as CEO of Dong-A PharmTech, Dong-A Pharmaceutical’s new drug development subsidiary. After increasing his stake, he reorganized the company into Mezzion in 2013 and became chairman and CEO. He transformed himself from a finance and corporate M&A expert from Wall Street in New York into the head of a drug development company. He is focusing his capabilities on switching the indication of udenafil, developed as an erectile dysfunction treatment, to develop it as a treatment for Fontan patients. #ParkDonghyun #Mezzion #CEO #drugdevelopment #udenafil #Fontanpatients #DongAPharmTech #DongAPharmaceutical #WallStreet #biopharmaceuticals
- President and CEO of SNT Dynamics
  Park Jae-seok
  
  Park Jae-seok is CEO of SNT Dynamics. He is focusing on technological independence in core defense components and expanding the company’s portfolio in precision machinery and electronic control modules. He is also accelerating efforts to enter global markets, including expanding overseas sales. He was born on November 27, 1959, in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province. He graduated from Baemoon High School in Seoul and earned a degree in German Language and Literature from Yonsei University. At Daewoo Group, he was in charge of quality control for truck manufacturing. He later moved to GC Biopharma, where he worked as a director in charge of public relations. After joining Tongil Heavy Industries, now SNT Dynamics, as executive vice president of the Planning and Coordination Office, he was appointed CEO in 2005. After serving as CEO of SNT Brake, he was selected as CEO of SNT Holdings. In 2021, he returned to SNT Dynamics as CEO and president. He has led the overall defense, machinery and parts businesses while working across SNT Holdings affiliates. #ParkJae-seok #SNTDynamics #SNTGroup #defenseindustry #precisionmachinery #electroniccontrol #defensecomponents #globalmarket #technologyindependence #Koreabusiness
- CEO of Seoul Semiconductor
  Lee Chung-hoon
  
  Lee Chung-hoon is CEO of Seoul Semiconductor. He also serves as CEO of its subsidiary Seoul Viosys. Based on patent competitiveness, he aims to take the lead in the microLED market and turn the company into a global No. 1 player. He is focusing on improving the company’s financial structure by boosting profitability. He was born on January 21, 1953, by the lunar calendar, in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. He graduated from Korea University with a degree in physics and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Korea University Graduate School. He completed an MBA program at the University of Oklahoma’s business school in the United States. He joined Jeil Precision Industrial and worked as a planning manager. He later moved to Samshin Electric, where he worked as an executive director, and continued serving as vice president even after the company was sold. In 1992, he acquired Seoul Semiconductor. He is a first-generation venture entrepreneur who built the company into a world-class company specializing in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). He values technology and is uncompromising when it comes to protecting patent rights. #LeeChung-hoon #SeoulSemiconductor #SeoulViosys #microLED #LED #patents #ventureentrepreneur #technology #profitability #Koreanbusiness
- Chairman of IBK Industrial Bank of Korea
  Chang Min-young
  
  Chang Min-young is the CEO of IBK Industrial Bank of Korea. As the head of a policy financial institution, he is focusing on strengthening the corporate banking capabilities of the bank and its subsidiaries in line with the government’s shift toward productive finance. In particular, he has devoted efforts to the rapid supply of productive financing and to easing information asymmetry in the KOSDAQ market. He was born on September 23, 1964. He graduated from Daewon High School in Seoul and earned a bachelor’s degree in German Literature from Korea University. He later completed an MBA program at Pennsylvania State University in the United States. Chang joined IBK Industrial Bank of Korea and served as head of the Yeouido Korea Securities Branch. He later worked as head of the IBK Economic Research Institute, head of the Gangbuk Regional Headquarters, and head of the Risk Management Group as an executive vice president. He moved to IBK Asset Management, a subsidiary of IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, and was appointed CEO of IBK Asset Management in 2024. In 2026, he returned to IBK Industrial Bank of Korea as CEO. He is known for his strong understanding of financial markets and his expertise in risk management. #IBKIndustrialBankofKorea #ChangMinyoung #KOSDAQ #CorporateBanking #RiskManagement #ProductiveFinance #IBKAssetManagement #FinancialMarkets #KoreanBanking #PolicyFinance
- CEO of Hyundai Rotem
  Lee Yong-bae
  
  Lee Yong-bae is the CEO of Hyundai Rotem. He is working to expand exports of the company’s main products, tanks and railway vehicles, while developing aerospace and hydrogen as future growth engines. He was born on April 8, 1961. He graduated from Seoul Youngnak Commercial High School and Jeonju University’s Department of Business Administration. He received a master’s degree in financial management from Kyung Hee University’s Graduate School of Business Administration. He joined Hyundai Precision Industry, now Hyundai Mobis, and handled accounting work. He moved to Hyundai Motor and worked as head of the Management Administration Office and head of Planning and Coordination Office 3. He worked at Hyundai Wia as vice president in charge of planning, finance, purchasing and management. After serving as vice president in charge of overall sales at HMC Investment Securities, now Hyundai Motor Securities, he was appointed CEO of HMC Investment Securities in 2017. In 2020, he took office as CEO of Hyundai Rotem. He is credited with leading the company’s turnaround to profitability and rapid earnings growth. He is regarded as one of Hyundai Motor Group’s leading financial experts. #LeeYongbae #HyundaiRotem #HyundaiMotorGroup #defense #railwayvehicles #K2tank #exports #aerospace #hydrogen #CEO

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