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

- CEO of STCube
  Jung Hyun-jin
  
  Jung Hyun-jin is the CEO of STCube. He is focusing on the clinical development of the company’s core pipeline, ‘Nelmastobart (hSTC810)’. He is also accelerating efforts to license Nelmastobart to global big pharma companies. He was born on September 23, 1964, in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine, earned a master’s degree in medicine at Seoul National University Graduate School, and completed a doctoral course. He worked as a clinical fellow in the Department of Clinical Pathology at Seoul National University Hospital before founding InnoCell in 2002. After selling InnoCell to Green Cross (now GC Green Cross), he acquired STCube in 2013. He also serves as CEO of Biomedical Holdings. He is a physician-turned-owner who developed the liver cancer treatment Immuncell-LC. He is regarded as one of the pioneers who opened the field of immune-oncology drugs in South Korea. #JungHyunjin #STCube #biotechnology #immunooncology #NelmaStobart #hSTC810 #livercancer #ImmuncellLC #Koreanbiotech #drugdevelopment
- CEO of HallaCast
  Oh Jong-doo
  
  Oh Jong-doo is the CEO of HallaCast. He is focused on lightweight auto parts and aims to grow HallaCast into a “future mobility materials unicorn.” He was born in August 1962. He graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Ulsan Technical College. He worked at Samsung Electronics and later at Seocheon Metal. In August 1996, he founded Halla Diecast (HallaCast). He turned crisis into opportunity by completing a corporate workout program early. When the company faced its most difficult period, he instead increased investment in technology and built it into a strong global niche company. He is credited with rapidly shifting the company’s business structure from home appliance parts to future industries such as electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving, and robotics. #OhJongdoo #HallaCast #automotiveparts #lightweightmaterials #electricvehicles #autonomousdriving #robotics #manufacturing #Koreanceo #futuremobility
- Chairman of Shinsegae
  Chung Yoo-kyung
  
  Chung Yoo-kyung is the Chairman of Shinsegae. She is pushing for a spin-off centered on Shinsegae Department Store from Shinsegae Group, which is led by her older brother, Chairman Chung Yong-jin. She was born on October 5, 1972, as the younger of two children, one son and one daughter, of Chung Jae-eun, Honorary Chairman of Shinsegae Group, and Lee Myung-hee, General Chairwoman of Shinsegae Group. She graduated from Seoul Arts High School, studied visual design at Ewha Womans University, and majored in graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design in the United States. She joined Shinsegae Chosun Hotel as Executive Vice President in charge of marketing. She later moved to Shinsegae, served as President, and was promoted to Chairman in 2024. With a background in design, she has focused on the fashion business and is also showing interest in the cosmetics business. #ChungYooKyung #Shinsegae #ShinsegaeDepartmentStore #RetailIndustry #FashionBusiness #CosmeticsIndustry #CorporateSpinOff #KoreanConglomerates #ChairmanProfile #BusinessBiography
  NEWS
  - • "Alibaba Deal" Chung Yong-jin and "1 Trillion Duty-Free Goal" Chung Yoo-kyung, Key to Shinsegae's Split
  - • Shinsegae Group Begins ‘Chung Yong-jin - Chung Yoo-kyung’ Split, Sparking Ranking Concerns
- President of Konyang University
  Kim Yong-ha
  
  Kim Yong-ha is the President of Konyang University. He was born in 1966 as the eldest son of the late Kim Hee-soo, the founder of Konyang University and Konyang University Hospital and former chairman of the Konyang Educational Foundation. He graduated from the Department of Business Administration at Lynchburg University in Virginia, the United States, and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Lynchburg University Graduate School. He later received a doctoral degree in business administration from the Graduate School of Sogang University. He joined Konyang University as a professor in the Department of Hospital Management and served as Vice President for External Affairs. Amid allegations of abuse of power, verbal abuse, and assault, he resigned from his position as vice president along with his father, who was serving as president at the time. After serving as Administrative Director of Konyang Medical Center and Head of the Strategic Support Division at Konyang University Hospital, he was appointed President of Konyang University in 2022. He has served as President of the Korean Academic Society of Service Management and as Chair of the Chungcheongnam-do Green Growth Forum Committee. With Konyang University selected for the Ministry of Education’s Glocal University 30 initiative, he holds a vision to develop Konyang University into Chungcheongnam-do’s leading private university spearheading the “K-defense industry.” #KimYongha #KonyangUniversity #UniversityPresident #KoreanPrivateUniversity #HigherEducationKorea #KDefenseIndustry #GlocalUniversity30 #Chungcheongnamdo #UniversityLeadership #MedicalEducation
- Vice Chairwoman of CJ Group
  Lee Mi-kyung
  
  Lee Mi-kyung is Vice Chairwoman of CJ Group. She also serves as Executive Vice Chairwoman overseeing CJ ENM. She worked as the executive producer of films such as “Parasite” and “Decision to Leave,” helping raise the international influence of Korean cinema and the content industry. She was born on April 8, 1958, in Michigan, the United States, as the eldest daughter of Lee Maeng-hee, honorary chairman of CJ Group. She graduated from the Department of Home Economics at Seoul National University and earned a master’s degree in East Asian Regional Studies from Harvard University, as well as a doctoral degree in History Education from the graduate school of Fudan University in China. While serving as a director at Samsung America, the U.S. subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, she led investment negotiations with DreamWorks, the film studio founded by director Steven Spielberg. Together with her younger brother, Chairman Lee Jae-hyun, she made an equity investment of KRW 300 billion (US$ 215.8 million) in DreamWorks and secured Asian distribution rights, marking CJ’s entry into the entertainment business. She later moved to CheilJedang, where she led the cultural content business. She acquired the music-focused cable channel Mnet, established film investment and distribution company CJ Entertainment, and launched CGV, Korea’s first multiplex cinema, entering the movie theater business. She worked as a non-registered executive at CJ, CJ CheilJedang, and CJ CGV. After stepping away from frontline management, she stayed long-term in the United States to receive treatment for a chronic illness, while continuing to promote Korean films, dramas, and K-pop artists overseas. She is also exploring ways to export CJ ENM’s content to the United States. She is widely regarded as a powerful “godmother” figure in the Korean entertainment industry. #LeeMikyung #CJGroup #CJENM #KoreanCinema #Parasite #DecisionToLeave #KContent #KoreanEntertainment #DreamWorks #CGV
  NEWS
  - • K-Culture 'Godmother' Lee Mi-kyeong (Miky Lee): How Will She Uphold CJ Group's Status as a Content Powerhouse?
- CEO of Kia
  Song Ho-sung
  
  Song Ho-sung is the CEO of Kia. He is focusing on achieving the “popularization of electric vehicles” by strengthening the electric vehicle lineup while expanding overseas markets. He was born on the 13th day of the 10th lunar month in 1962 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. He graduated from Jeonju High School and the Department of French Language and Literature at Yonsei University. He began his professional career at Hyundai Motor. He later moved to Kia, where he served as Head of the Export Planning Office, Head of the European Regional Headquarters, and Head of the Global Business Management Division, before being appointed CEO in 2020. He is leading Kia’s transformation in the electric vehicle era by overhauling and replacing the company name, brand philosophy, emblem, and overall corporate identity. He is recognized as an expert in the European market and strategic business fields. #Kia #SongHo-sung #automotiveindustry #electricvehicles #EVstrategy #globalbusiness #Europeanmarket #Koreanautomakers #corporateleadership #brandtransformation
  NEWS
  - • Kia Overcomes the 'EV Chasm,' Song Ho-sung's Affordable EV Strategy Gains Global Momentum
- President of Ajou University
  Choi Kee-choo
  
  Choi Kee-choo is the President of Ajou University. After successfully being reappointed as president, he has gained momentum to push forward Ajou University’s innovation roadmap. He was born on August 22, 1961 (lunar calendar), in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Wooshin High School in Seoul and Seoul National University’s Department of Civil Engineering. He earned a master’s degree in transportation engineering from Seoul National University Graduate School and a doctorate in transportation planning from the University of Illinois Graduate School in the United States. He worked as a senior research fellow in the Urban Transportation Division at the Seoul Development Institute. After joining Ajou University as a professor in the Department of Environmental and Urban Engineering, he served as head of the TOD-based Sustainable Urban Transportation Research Center. Without going through administrative posts, he was appointed President of Ajou University in 2022. Following his reappointment, he will serve an additional four-year term through 2030. He has served as President of the Korean Society of Transportation, Chairman of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Bus Industry Development Council, and Chairman of the Metropolitan Transport Commission. He is a full member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. #ChoiKeechoo #AjouUniversity #universitypresident #transportationengineering #urbantransportation #TOD #highereducation #Koreanuniversities #engineeringleadership #academicprofile
- Chairman and CEO of TES
  Ju Soong-il
  
  Ju Soong-il is Chairman and CEO of TES. He was born on August 14, 1949. He graduated from Kyungdong High School in Seoul and earned a degree in materials engineering from Hanyang University. In 1975, he joined Samsung Semiconductor (Samsung Electronics), where he worked as head of the manufacturing technology team, before briefly moving to Korea Electronics (KEC Semiconductor). He later joined Hyundai Electronics Industries (SK hynix) as Executive Vice President in charge of HEA and HSA and served as Senior Vice President overseeing manufacturing. In 2002, he founded semiconductor equipment maker TES. After accumulating 25 years of experience solely in semiconductor manufacturing at Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, he founded TES and led the localization of semiconductor equipment. To overcome risks arising from heavy dependence on specific customers and direct exposure to industry cycles, he aims to expand the company’s business scope into venture investment through a private equity fund (PEF) management firm incorporated as a subsidiary. #JuSoongil #TES #semiconductorequipment #SamsungElectronics #SKhynix #semiconductormanufacturing #Koreanentrepreneur #founder #privateequity #ventureinvestment
- CEO of SK Eternix
  Kim Hae-zoong
  
  Kim Hae-zoong is the CEO of SK Eternix. As a top-tier renewable energy developer in South Korea spanning solar power, wind power, ESS, and fuel cells, he is leading the company’s independent growth. He was born on September 12, 1973, in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. He graduated from Yongmun High School in Gyeonggi Province and the Department of Business Administration at Sogang University, and earned a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Economics at Aalto University in Finland (formerly the Helsinki School of Economics). He joined SK Gas, where he served as head of the Strategy Team and head of the ESS Business Team, before moving to SK D&D, where he worked as an executive in charge of Eco Green and as head of the Energy Solution Division. In March 2024, he was selected as the first leader of SK Eternix, which was established through the spin-off of SK D&D. At SK D&D, he played a leading role in expanding the renewable energy business. After taking office as CEO of SK Eternix, he carried out major projects such as entering the U.S. ESS market, signing large-scale direct PPAs (power purchase agreements), and completing the Pungbaek Wind Power Complex, increasing the company’s potential to firmly establish itself as a specialized power trading company. #KimHaezoong #SKEternix #renewableenergy #ESS #solarpower #windpower #fuelcell #directPPA #powertrading #energydeveloper
- CEO of Rznomics
  Lee Seong-wook
  
  Lee Seong-wook is the CEO of Rznomics. He is accelerating the commercialization of the “RNA replacement enzyme platform” and the clinical development of key pipelines. He was born on February 8, 1963. He graduated from the Department of Microbiology at Seoul National University and earned a master’s degree in microbiology from Seoul National University Graduate School. He received a Ph.D. in molecular biology from Cornell University in the United States. He worked as a researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Duke University Medical Center in the United States. In 1997, he joined Dankook University as a professor of molecular biology. He later served as director of the Nano Sensor Biotech Research Institute within the university and then as director of the Next-Generation Omics Research Institute. In 2017, he founded Rznomics as a university-affiliated company and has since served concurrently as its CEO. In May 2025, he drew attention by signing a US$1.3 billion joint research and technology transfer agreement with Eli Lilly for a hereditary hearing loss treatment. He previously served as president of the Korean Society for Nucleic Acid Research and is currently serving as president of the Korean Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. #LeeSeongwook #Rznomics #RNAreplacementenzyme #RNAtechnology #biotechnology #geneandcelltherapy #hereditaryhearingloss #EliLilly #omics #Koreanbiotech

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