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

- Co-CEO and President of Hankook Tire & Technology
  Ahn Jong-seon
  
  Ahn Jong-seon is co-CEO and president of Hankook Tire & Technology. He also serves as head of the Management Innovation Division. He leads the company jointly with co-CEO Lee Sang-hoon. He was born on February 11, 1969. He graduated from Daekwang High School in Seoul and Seoul National University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Seoul National University Graduate School and completed an MBA program at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in the United States. He worked as a researcher at Samsung Electronics and at global consulting firm McKinsey before joining Doosan Group. At Doosan Infracore, he worked in strategic planning at the Planning and Coordination Office and was responsible for IMO strategy. He served as senior vice president of Chinese subsidiary DICC and senior vice president in charge of China operations at the Construction Equipment Business Group (BG). After working in AM/PS at the Sales Division, he served as head of the Heavy Business Group (Heavy BG), which was responsible for medium and large construction equipment. He was recruited by Hankook & Company as president and chief operating officer (COO), concurrently serving as head of the Energy Solution (ES) Business Division. In 2022, he served as one of Hankook & Company's independently authorized CEOs before moving to Hankook Tire & Technology as president and head of the Management Innovation Division. He was appointed co-CEO in 2025. He oversees global innovation, research and development (R&D), purchasing, production and quality. #AhnJongSeon #HankookTireAndTechnology #CoCEO #ManagementInnovation #HankookAndCompany #DoosanInfracore #TireIndustry #ResearchAndDevelopment #GlobalManufacturing #ExecutiveProfile
- President and CEO of Samsung C&T Resort Group and Samsung Welstory
  Song Kue-jong
  
  Song Kue-jong is president and CEO of Samsung C&T Resort Group. He also serves as president and CEO of Samsung Welstory. He was born on July 18, 1968. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in business administration and joined the Management Control Team of Samsung C&T Engineering & Construction Group. He worked on the Management Diagnosis Team of the Future Strategy Office, which served as a control tower at Samsung Electronics, before returning to Samsung C&T, where he served as head of the Management Support Team, head of the Business Support Team and head of the Management Support Office of the Engineering & Construction Group. He was promoted to executive vice president of Samsung C&T and served as chief financial officer (CFO) and head of the Corporate Planning Office. After being promoted to president, he was appointed CEO of Samsung C&T Resort Group and CEO of Samsung Welstory in March 2026. #SongKuejong #SamsungCT #SamsungCTResortGroup #SamsungWelstory #FinanceExecutive #CorporateStrategy #CFO #Everland #Foodservice #ExecutiveProfile
- President and CEO of KT Skylife
  Ji Jeong-yong
  
  Ji Jeong-yong is president and CEO of KT Skylife. He also serves as chairman of the board. He was born on May 17, 1968. He graduated from Chonnam National University with a degree in inorganic materials engineering and earned a master's degree in IT management from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). At KT, he served as head of the Busan Network Operations Headquarters and head of the Network Operations Headquarters within the Network Division before becoming head of the Jeonnam-Jeonbuk Regional Headquarters. In 2025, he was appointed CEO of KTcs, a KT affiliate operating customer center businesses. After being promoted to executive vice president of KT, he was appointed president and CEO of KT Skylife in May 2026. He faces the tasks of stabilizing the company after a leadership vacancy lasting more than two months and restructuring its business operations. #JiJeongYong #KTSkylife #KTCorporation #KTcs #PresidentAndCEO #Telecommunications #NetworkOperations #BusinessRestructuring #CorporateLeadership #SatelliteBroadcasting
- Vice President and CEO of KG Steel
  Kim Seong-il
  
  Kim Seong-il is vice president and CEO of KG Steel. He was born on October 10, 1972. He graduated from Incheon National University with a degree in economics. He worked in color-coated steel sheet sales at Dongbu Steel (Dongbu Jegang) and Dongbu Steel (Dongbu Jecheol) for about 12 years. After Dongbu Steel was acquired by KG Group in September 2019 following a period of creditor management, he was promoted to assistant managing director and became head of the Domestic Business Division. He served as head of the Business Division, overseeing both sales and production planning, and was promoted to vice president. He was appointed CEO of KG Steel in March 2026. He is focusing on restoring profitability in the core steel business and ensuring stable operations across the expanded business portfolio following the acquisition of K Car. #KimSeongil #KGSteel #KGGroup #DongbuSteel #SteelIndustry #ColorCoatedSteel #CorporateLeadership #CEO #BusinessManagement #KCar
- President and CEO of SK Broadband
  Kim Seong-soo
  
  Kim Seong-soo is president and CEO of SK Broadband. He was born in June 1966. He graduated from Hanyang University with a degree in business administration. He joined SK Telecom and served as head of the Smart Device Division, head of the MNO Marketing Group and head of the Distribution Support Group. After serving as head of the Sales Division and head of Mobile CO, he concurrently served as head of the Customer Business Division at SK Telecom and SK Broadband. After serving as head of the Wired and Media Business at SK Broadband, he was appointed CEO in 2026. He will also serve as CEO of SK Horizon, which is to be established in February 2027 through a spin-off of the data center business. He is working to resolve conflicts that have emerged ahead of the spin-off while focusing on finding new growth drivers. #KimSeongsoo #SKBroadband #SKTelecom #SKHorizon #Telecommunications #MediaBusiness #DataCenter #Marketing #BusinessLeadership #CorporateSpinOff
- Chairman of School Board, Kookmin University
  Kim Ji-yong
  
  Kim Ji-yong is chairman of Kookmin Educational Foundation, the school foundation of Kookmin University. He also serves as chairman of Guam Educational Foundation. He was born in Seoul on October 1, 1973, as the eldest son among four children of Kim Suk-won, former chairman of SsangYong Group. He graduated from Seoul High School and Korea University with a degree in business administration. After serving as executive managing director of Yongpyong Resort, CEO of Olive Planning and vice president of Taea Industry, he became chairman of Guam Educational Foundation in 2016. He has served as chairman of Kookmin Educational Foundation since December 2016. He is credited with successfully developing automobiles and future mobility as specialized fields. He has a strong interest in sports and served as head of the Korean delegation at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and as president of the Korea Swimming Federation. #KimJiyong #KookminUniversity #KookminEducationalFoundation #GuamEducationalFoundation #SsangYongGroup #FutureMobility #AutomotiveEducation #PyeongChangWinterOlympics #KoreaSwimmingFederation #UniversityLeadership
- President and CEO of Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance
  Lee Mun-hwa
  
  Lee Mun-hwa is president and CEO of Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance. He was born in February 1967. He graduated from Janghoon High School in Seoul and Sungkyunkwan University with a degree in economics. He began his career at Ankuk Fire Insurance and continued working there after it was acquired by Samsung Group. He briefly moved to Samsung Life Insurance, where he served as head of the Strategic Sales Division, before returning to Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance upon his appointment as president and CEO in 2024. He is focusing on expanding overseas operations and developing new businesses, including healthcare services. He actively communicates with employees. #LeeMunHwa #SamsungFireAndMarineInsurance #InsuranceCEO #SamsungLifeInsurance #AnkukFireInsurance #InsuranceCareer #GlobalInsurance #HealthcareServices #BusinessLeadership #EmployeeCommunication
- Chairman and President of The Korean Federation of Savings Banks
  Oh Hwa-kyung
  
  Oh Hwa-kyung is chairman and president of The Korean Federation of Savings Banks. He was born in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, on January 15, 1960. He graduated from Uijeongbu High School and Sungkyunkwan University with a degree in accounting. He earned a master's degree in financial management from Korea University Graduate School of Business Administration. He worked as an industry research analyst at Seoul Securities. After working at HSBC Korea and HSBC China, he served as executive vice president of Aju Capital. He was appointed CEO of Aju Savings Bank in 2012 and served as CEO of Aju Capital and Hana Savings Bank. In 2022, he became the first person from the savings bank industry to be elected chairman and president of The Korean Federation of Savings Banks. He focuses on improving the financial soundness and portfolios of savings banks and strengthening their digital capabilities. #OhHwaKyung #KoreanFederationOfSavingsBanks #SavingsBankIndustry #ChairmanAndPresident #AjuCapital #HanaSavingsBank #FinancialSoundness #DigitalBanking #FinancialManagement #SavingsBankLeadership
- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy
  
  Lee Hyoung-il is deputy prime minister and minister of finance and economy. He was born in Daegu on March 28, 1971. He graduated from Gyeongsang High School in Daegu and Seoul National University with a degree in economics. He earned a Ph.D. in economics from Texas A&M University in the United States. He entered public service after passing the 36th Higher Civil Service Examination. He worked at the Financial Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Public Fund Oversight Committee. During the Lee Myung-bak administration, he worked at the Office of the Secretary to the President for Economic and Financial Affairs before serving as director of the Financial Market Division, Economic Analysis Division and Economic Policy Division at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. He also worked as a senior economist at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). Under the Moon Jae-in administration, he served as senior administrative officer at the Office of the Secretary to the President for Economic Policy, director general for economic policy and deputy minister at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, before becoming secretary to the president for economic policy. After the Yoon Suk-yeol administration took office, he returned to the Ministry of Economy and Finance as deputy minister and was appointed commissioner of Statistics Korea in 2023. With the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, he was appointed first vice minister of economy and finance. When the Ministry of Finance and Economy was established through government reorganization in 2026, he became its inaugural first vice minister. In September 2026, he became the first serving vice minister to be promoted directly to deputy prime minister and minister of finance and economy. #LeeHyoungIl #MinistryOfFinanceAndEconomy #DeputyPrimeMinister #EconomicPolicy #Macroeconomics #StatisticsKorea #TexasAMUniversity #SeoulNationalUniversity #SouthKoreanEconomy #LeeJaeMyungAdministration
- CEO of SEMES
  Sim Sang-Pil
  
  Sim Sang-Pil is CEO of SEMES. He was born on May 15, 1965. He graduated from Dongsin High School in Gwangju and Seoul National University with a degree in electrical and electronic engineering. He later earned master's and doctoral degrees in electrical and electronic engineering from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). After joining Samsung Electronics, he worked on the Semiconductor Research Institute's TD Team, the Memory Business's Next-Generation Research Team and the Logic TD Team, followed by the Process Integration Team of the System LSI Business and the YE (Yield Enhancement) Team of the System LSI Manufacturing Center, where he was responsible for device and process development for semiconductor products. He served as an executive director at the U.S. Samsung Austin Semiconductor (SAS) subsidiary, a senior vice president at the System LSI Manufacturing Center, and head of the Manufacturing Technology Center of the Foundry Business in the Device Solutions (DS) Division. He worked as executive vice president and head of the Foundry Manufacturing Technology Center under the Global Infrastructure organization of the DS Division, head of the Strategic Marketing Office of the Foundry Business, and head of the Corporate Planning (CP) Office. In 2024, he was appointed head of SEMES, a Samsung Electronics affiliate that manufactures semiconductor and display equipment. He led the development of the world's first 14-nanometer FinFET process and was promoted again to senior vice president in the same year he was promoted to executive director. He is focusing on strengthening the competitiveness of semiconductor equipment, including bonders for high bandwidth memory (HBM), and applying AI throughout equipment development. #SimSangPil #SEMES #SamsungElectronics #SystemLSI #FoundryBusiness #FinFET #HBM #SemiconductorProcess #KAIST #ExecutiveProfile

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