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

- President of Sungkyunkwan University
  Yoo Ji-beom
  
  Yoo Ji-beom is the president of Sungkyunkwan University. He is interested in expanding joint research through cooperation with overseas research institutions. He was born on September 6, 1959, in Incheon. He graduated from Jemulpo High School in Incheon and the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at Seoul National University. He earned a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the graduate school of Seoul National University and a doctoral degree in electronic materials science from Stanford University in the United States. He worked as a senior researcher at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and was appointed as a professor in the Department of Materials Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University in 1994. He served as dean of the College of Engineering, vice president of the Natural Sciences Campus, head of the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, director of the Public Instrument Center, and head of the LINC project. In January 2023, he took office as the 22nd president of Sungkyunkwan University. He is a full member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. He is a nanoscientist who developed mass production technology for graphene, a new material in the information technology field. He is focusing on newly creating the brand impact of “Sungkyunkwan style” through global management. He has served as a visiting researcher at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, director of the Nano-Material-Based Human Interface Research Center, head of the National Research Foundation’s National Research Program Division, chairman of the Nanotechnology Research Council, a member of the National Power Technology Coordination Committee, and chairman of the Suwool Presidents Forum.
- CEO of Qurient
  Nam Ki-yean
  
  Nam Ki-yean is the CEO of Qurient. He was born in May 1971. He graduated from the Department of Biology at Korea University. He earned a master’s degree in biology from Korea University Graduate School and a Ph.D. in computational chemistry from Rutgers University in the United States. He built research experience at global big pharmaceutical companies, serving as a researcher at Novartis in the United States and as a senior researcher and project manager at Merck. He served as Head of Strategic Planning and the PM Team at the Institut Pasteur Korea. In 2008, he founded Qurient. He has the goal of establishing Qurient as a “clinical-stage biotech” company that conducts global clinical trials and develops innovative new drugs. He must secure the commercial visibility of clinical outcomes and manage the financial burden that comes from a long-term R&D structure. #NamKi-yean #Qurient #biotech #clinicalstage #drugdevelopment #globalpharma #computationalchemistry #Novartis #Merck #KoreaUniversity
- CEO of Nano
  Shin Dong-woo
  
  Shin Dong-woo is CEO and Chairman of Nano. He pioneered Korea’s denitrification catalyst market with innovative nanoparticle manufacturing technology. He was born on June 16, 1960, in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Mungyeong Comprehensive High School in North Gyeongsang Province and the Department of Inorganic Materials Engineering at Hanyang University. He received a master’s degree in Materials Engineering from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) and earned a Ph.D. in Inorganic Materials Engineering from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He worked as a researcher at institutions including the Max Planck Institute for Materials Research in Germany, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), and the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan. He was appointed as a professor in the Department of Nano and Advanced Materials Engineering at Gyeongsang National University and founded Nano in 1999 through a university-based startup model. He grew the company into the world’s only SCR denitrification catalyst company that has secured the entire value chain, from raw materials and catalysts to evaluation and regeneration technologies, in SCR denitrification catalysts. The company is also expanding its scope into the air environment field by developing greenhouse gas oxidation catalyst technologies. A materials engineering expert, he is a full member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. He previously served as a Distinguished Professor at Hanyang University. #ShinDongwoo #Nano #SCR #denitrification #catalyst #nanoparticle #materialsengineering #airenvironment #greenhousegas #KAIST
- CEO of FutureChem
  Chi Dae-yoon
  
  Ji Dae-yoon (Chi Dae-yoon) is the CEO of FutureChem. He is focusing on developing diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals with the goal of realizing theranostics. He is also accelerating efforts to expand into the global market. He was born on August 13, 1955, in Busan. He graduated from the Department of Chemistry at Sogang University, earned a master’s degree in organic chemistry from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), and received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United States. He completed postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, and worked as a researcher in the Catalytic Chemistry Laboratory at KAIST and as a senior researcher at the Applied Science Research Division. He later joined the Department of Chemistry at Inha University as a professor and founded FutureChem in 1999. He then moved to his alma mater, Sogang University, where he served as a professor in the Department of Chemistry. He is an owner-manager with an academic background. He is widely regarded as having a high level of expertise in the field of radiopharmaceuticals. He places strong emphasis on technology. He served as chairman of the Society of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences (SRS) and was selected as a permanent fellow of the Society of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences in 2021. #JiDaeYoon #ChiDaeYoon #FutureChem #radiopharmaceuticals #theranostics #nuclearmedicine #biography #KoreanCEO #drugdevelopment #globalmarket
- CEO and Vice President of Hyundai Bioland
  Lee Hee-joon
  
  Lee Hee-joon is CEO and Vice President of Hyundai Bioland. He aims to grow the company into a bio and healthcare company by integrating distribution DNA. He was born on January 25, 1968. He graduated from the Department of Industrial Psychology at Sungkyunkwan University. He joined Hyundai Group. He worked at Hyundai Group’s Sales Strategy Office, then served as head of Hyundai Department Store’s Jungdong Branch, head of the E-Business Division, head of the Mokdong Branch, and Executive Vice President at the Planning and Coordination Division. In October 2020, he was appointed CEO of Hyundai Bioland. He is regarded as an expert in sales and planning. Through cooperation with global healthcare company Nestlé Health Science, he expanded the health functional food business and achieved results in expanding the healthcare business. #HyundaiBioland #LeeHeejoon #biohealthcare #healthcareindustry #functionalfoods #NestleHealthScience #distributionstrategy #corporatemanagement #Koreanexecutive #biotechnology
- President of Youngsan University
  Bu Gu-wuck
  
  Bu Gu-wuck is the president of Youngsan University. She is the spouse of Noh Chan-yong, the chairman of Seongsim Educational Foundation, the foundation that operates Youngsan University. She was born in Busan in the second lunar month of 1952 as the eldest son of Bu Bong-hwan, the founder of Seongsim Educational Foundation, and Park Yong-sook, former chairwoman of Seongsim Educational Foundation. She graduated from Busan Middle School and Gyeonggi High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree in law from Seoul National University. She received a master’s degree specializing in civil law from the graduate school of Seoul National University. She passed the 21st National Judicial Examination and completed the 11th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. She served as a judge for 20 years, starting as a judge at the Busan District Court, then serving as a judge at the Seoul High Court, a research judge at the Supreme Court, and later as a presiding judge at the Seoul District Court. After retiring from the judiciary, she became president of Youngsan University, which was founded by her father, in February 2001, and has served as president for 25 years. Although she did not have prior experience as a professor, her career and expertise as a legal professional were recognized. She presented a goal of developing the university into a “industry-academia integrated education excellence university” that contributes to the local community by responding to industrial demand through practical studies and convergence with AI. She has served as president of the Korean Association of University Presidents, president of the Korean Association of Private University Presidents, president of the Korean Council for University Education, chair of the Law School Countermeasures Committee of the Korean Council for University Education, and president of the Korean Association for Mediation Studies. In the region, she has been active as chair of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Supporters Association, chair of the Busan Tourism and Convention Forum, and chair of the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government Advisory Committee. #BuGuwuck #YoungsanUniversity #KoreanUniversityPresident #LegalProfessional #HigherEducationLeadership #IndustryAcademiaCooperation #AIConvergenceEducation #Busan #KoreanPrivateUniversities #UniversityGovernance
- CEO of Enbionia
  Han Jeong-cheol
  
  Han Jeong-cheol is the CEO of Enbionia. He is focusing investment on research and development of thin carbon fiber composite materials using carbon fiber. He was born on January 29, 1964. He graduated from the Department of International Trade at Sungkyunkwan University and earned a master’s degree in economics from Sungkyunkwan University Graduate School. He worked at Shinhan Life Insurance and then served as a researcher at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy. In 2001, he co-founded Enbionia with his spouse, CTO Park Sung-eun. He has led the company’s technology development and management for more than 20 years in the fields of environmental and composite materials development and manufacturing. He presented a vision to establish Enbionia as a “100-year materials company” and to leap into a company with a market capitalization of KRW 1 trillion (US$ 0.7 billion). #HanJeongcheol #Enbionia #carbonfiber #compositematerials #advancedmaterials #environmentalmaterials #KoreanCEO #materialsindustry #technologyinnovation #longtermvision
- CEO of Ecomarketing
  Kim Cheol-woong
  
  Kim Cheol-woong is the CEO of Ecomarketing. He was born on February 12, 1967. He graduated from the Department of Economics at Kyung Hee University and received a master’s degree in marketing from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Sydney in Australia. He joined Shinhan Bank, where he was in charge of internet banking planning and related work. He later served as Marketing Director at Paxnet and Poiesys. In 2003, he founded Ecomarketing. Coming from a financial background, he led innovation in the marketing industry by becoming the first in Korea to introduce data analysis-based “performance marketing” and “business boosting.” He also concurrently serves as a co-CEO of Andar, a subsidiary of the company. #KimCheol-woong #Ecomarketing #performanceMarketing #businessBoosting #dataDrivenMarketing #KoreanMarketingIndustry #Andar #CEOProfile #marketingInnovation #digitalMarketing
- CEO of T’way Air
  Lee Sang-yoon
  
  Lee Sang-yoon is the CEO of T’way Air. He is pursuing an aggressive strategy to expand mid- to long-haul routes, focusing on Europe and North America. He was born in March 1974. He majored in aerospace engineering at the University of Southern California in the United States. He worked at Korean Air for more than 20 years. He held key positions across the company, from aircraft maintenance to human resources. In 2025, he moved to Daemyung Sono Group, where he led the aviation business task force, and in June of the same year, he was appointed CEO of T’way Air. He faces the dual challenge of creating synergy with Daemyung Sono Group and improving profitability. #LeeSangyoon #TwayAir #DaemyungSonoGroup #airlineCEO #aviationindustry #midhaulroutes #longhaulroutes #EuropeNorthAmerica #KoreanAir #airlinestrategy
- CEO of VM
  ChoI Woo-hyung
  
  Choi Woo-hyung is the CEO of VM. He took charge of a company that had remained in the red for more than 10 years and led a complete turnaround, driving its growth. He was born on September 2, 1967. He graduated from the Department of Business Administration at Korea University. He worked as a venture capitalist at KB Investment. He recognized the potential of APTC (now VM), which possessed technological capabilities in the semiconductor etching equipment sector that had been monopolized by a small number of overseas companies, and actively invested in the company starting in 2003. As VM struggled with equipment development and entered a period of management deterioration, he acquired the company in 2015 and stepped in to lead it directly. He aims to develop and commercialize equipment based on domestic technology and grow the company into a comprehensive semiconductor equipment firm. #ChoiWoohyung #VM #semiconductor #etchingequipment #Koreasemiconductor #CEObiography #venturecapital #equipmentindustry #technologycommercialization #fabless

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