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

- 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
- President and CEO of LF
  Kim Sang Kyun
  
  Kim Sang Kyun is president and CEO of LF. He sees the global expansion of the fashion business and the integration of AI as his top priorities. He was born in 1969. He graduated from Dankook University High School and Sungkyunkwan University with a degree in statistics. He began his career at LG Card (now Shinhan Card). He moved to LG Fashion (now LF) and held positions including head of the Hazzys Business Division, head of the China subsidiary and head of the Overseas Business Division at LF, which changed its name after separating from LG Group. In 2021, he became co-CEO and head of the Fashion Business at LF and was promoted to president in 2022. He is credited as a key figure behind the growth of Hazzys, LF's flagship brand. #KimSangKyun #LF #LFCEO #Hazzys #FashionIndustry #FashionBusiness #GlobalExpansion #AITransformation #FashionLeadership #ExecutiveProfile
- 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. He 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 #CoCEO #ViceChairman #MiraeAssetFinancialGroup #MiraeAssetGlobalInvestments #GlobalBusiness #InvestmentBanking #GlobalETF #ParkHyeonJoo
- Chairman of Hankook & Company
  Cho Hyun-bum
  
  Cho Hyun-bum is chairman of Hankook & Company. He also serves as chairman of its subsidiary, Hankook Tire & Technology. He was born on January 7, 1972, in Haman County, South Gyeongsang Province, as the youngest son among the two sons and two daughters of Cho Yang-rai, honorary chairman of Hankook & Company Group. He is the son-in-law of former President Lee Myung-bak. He graduated from Dwight-Englewood School in the United States and Boston College with a degree in finance. He joined Hankook Tire and served as head of the Marketing Division and the Business Operations Division. After serving as head of the Corporate Planning Division at Hankook Tire Worldwide, he became CEO of Hankook Tire in 2017. He was sentenced to prison on embezzlement and breach of trust charges in 2025 and served time in prison until his sentence was completed in September 2026. He repeatedly stepped down as CEO and returned to the position while undergoing investigations and trials over allegations of personal misconduct. In February 2026, while serving his prison sentence, he stepped down as CEO of Hankook & Company. #ChoHyunbum #HankookAndCompany #HankookTireAndTechnology #HankookAndCompanyGroup #CorporateChairman #ExecutiveProfile #BusinessLeadership #CorporateGovernance #EmbezzlementCase #ManagementComeback
  NEWS
  - • Why Cho Hyun-bum Turned to Lee Soo-il — Again, for Hanon Systems
- President and CEO, Hyundai Department Store
  Jung Ji-young
  
  Jung Ji-young is president and CEO of Hyundai Department Store. He serves as co-CEO alongside Chung Ji-sun, chairman of Hyundai Department Store Group. He faces the challenge of securing new growth drivers through the opening of new stores in South Korea and the expansion of overseas operations. He was born in May 1963. He graduated from Korea High School in Gwangju and Korea University with a degree in business administration. He joined Hyundai Department Store and served as head of its Ulsan branch. He also served as head of the Sales Strategy Office and head of the Sales Division. He was promoted to president in November 2023 and appointed CEO of Hyundai Department Store in February 2024. #JungJiYoung #HyundaiDepartmentStore #ChungJiSun #PresidentAndCEO #KoreaUniversity #KoreaHighSchool #SalesStrategy #RetailManagement #OverseasExpansion #ExecutiveProfile
- President and CEO of HD Construction Equipment
  Moon Jae-young
  
  Moon Jae-young is president and CEO of HD Construction Equipment. He was born on August 4, 1969. He graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in business administration. He joined Hyundai Heavy Industries, where he was responsible for general sales at its European subsidiary, planning, and construction equipment sales. In 2017, when Hyundai Heavy Industries spun off its construction equipment business to establish Hyundai Construction Equipment, he became head of sales strategy at Hyundai Construction Equipment. He later served as executive vice president and head of the Sales Division before becoming executive vice president and head of the Construction Equipment Business Division at HD Hyundai Infracore. In 2026, he was appointed the first president and CEO of HD Construction Equipment, the integrated company established through the merger of HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore. He also serves as chairman of the Korea Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association. #MoonJaeyoung #HDConstructionEquipment #PresidentAndCEO #HDHyundai #ConstructionEquipment #ExecutiveProfile #GlobalSales #BusinessLeadership #CorporateMerger #KOCEMA
- President of Inha University
  Choi Kee-young
  
  Choi Kee-young is president of Inha University. He was born on June 5, 1964. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in aeronautical engineering and earned a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the same university. He earned a doctoral degree in aeronautical engineering from Stanford University in the United States. After working as a senior researcher at Advanced Rotorcraft Technology in the United States, he returned to Korea and joined Hanyang University as an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He moved to the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Inha University, where he served as senior vice chairman of the Faculty Council, head of the Internationalization Project Group, head of the IUT Project Group and head of the Future Education Innovation Group. He held administrative positions including dean of international affairs, dean of academic affairs and vice president for academic affairs. After serving as dean of the Graduate School of Aerospace and Defense, he took office as president of Inha University in September 2026. He serves as chairman of the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board under the Prime Minister's Office. He is a distinguished scholar in aerospace engineering. #ChoiKeeYoung #InhaUniversity #UniversityPresident #AerospaceEngineering #StanfordUniversity #SeoulNationalUniversity #HanyangUniversity #HigherEducation #AviationSafety #AcademicLeadership
- Co-CEO and Executive Vice President of Taekwang Industrial
  Jung In-chul
  
  Jung In-chul is co-CEO and executive vice president of Taekwang Industrial. He oversees new business development and strategy formulation. He leads the company alongside co-CEO Lee Bu-eui. He was born in Seoul on July 14, 1963. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in business administration. He earned a master's degree in business administration from Seoul National University's graduate school and completed doctoral coursework in business administration. He worked at United Consulting Group and the Boston headquarters of Monitor Company in the United States before serving as executive vice president of its Korean office and executive vice president of A.T. Kearney Korea. He served as senior vice president in charge of planning and overseas business at Daelim Corporation, and as head of the Planning and Coordination Division and head of the Management Improvement Task Force Team (TFT), with the rank of executive vice president, at STX. After joining CrystalGenomics (now CG Invites) as chief financial officer (CFO), he became CEO of Supex B&T (now Panakeia). He was subsequently appointed co-CEO of CrystalGenomics and concurrently served as co-CEO of PanGen. He was recruited as executive vice president overseeing future business at Taekwang Industrial. He was appointed co-CEO in April 2026. #JungInChul #TaekwangIndustrial #CoCEO #ExecutiveVicePresident #CorporateLeadership #StrategicConsulting #BusinessDevelopment #MergersAndAcquisitions #CGInvites #ExecutiveProfile
- CEO of Kakaobank
  Yun Ho-young
  
  Yun Ho-young is CEO of Kakaobank. He is focusing on advancing artificial intelligence (AI)-based financial services and expanding the bank's growth base through overseas businesses in Indonesia, Thailand and Mongolia, as well as nonbank businesses. He was born in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, on June 20, 1971. He graduated from Shinsung High School in Anyang and Hanyang University with a degree in business administration. He began his career at Daehan Fire & Marine Insurance. After working at Ergo Daum Direct and Daum, he served as executive vice president of the Mobile Bank Task Force at Kakao. He was appointed co-CEO of Korea Kakao in 2016. He became CEO when Kakaobank was established in 2017. As an expert in finance and information and communications technology (ICT), he played a leading role in the launch and growth of Kakaobank. #YunHoYoung #Kakaobank #CEO #DigitalBanking #FintechLeadership #BankingCareer #Kakao #FinancialTechnology #InternetBanking #GlobalExpansion
  NEWS
  - • Yun Ho-young Secures Fifth Term as KakaoBank CEO, Faces Pressure to Deliver
  - • KakaoBank's value-up focus: 'Aggressive growth,' Yun Ho-young diverges from traditional banks.

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