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

- CEO of Samsung SDI
  Choi Joo-sun
  
  Choi Joo-sun is the CEO of Samsung SDI. He was born on May 21, 1963. He graduated from Daedong High School in Busan and from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Seoul National University. He received both his master’s and doctoral degrees in electronic engineering from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). He worked at Hynix Semiconductor as a DRAM design research engineer. After moving to Samsung Electronics, he served as head of the DRAM Development Office in the Memory Business Division and later as head of the DS Division’s Americas operations. In 2020, he was appointed head of the Large Display Business Division and CEO of Samsung Display. In 2024, he moved to Samsung SDI as CEO. As an engineer-turned-technology expert, he drew attention as a relief pitcher expected to overcome the “Chasm.” However, in his first year in office, profits deteriorated and the company returned to a loss for the first time in nine years. To offset the slowdown in the electric vehicle market, he is accelerating the conversion of production lines to focus on batteries for energy storage systems (ESS). He is also preparing to take the lead in the market in earnest through the mass production of all-solid-state batteries. #ChoiJoo-sun #SamsungSDI #SamsungDisplay #SamsungElectronics #batteryindustry #ESS #allsolidstatebattery #electricvehicles #semiconductor #KAIST
  NEWS
  - • Weak IT OLED Demand, Leads to Investment Adjustment by Samsung Display Choi Joo-sun
  - • Stretchable Displays: Still Facing Significant Challenges on the Road to Commercialization
- Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House
  Hong Ihk-pyo
  
  Hong Ihk-pyo is Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House under the Lee Jae-myung administration. He is focusing on opening the door to bipartisan cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties and securing momentum for state affairs. He was born on November 20, 1967, in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. He graduated from Gwanak High School in Seoul and from the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Hanyang University, and received a master’s and doctoral degree in political science from Hanyang University Graduate School. He worked as a research fellow at the Center for Northeast Asian Economic Cooperation at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, and served as Policy Advisor to the Minister of Unification and as an adjunct professor at the University of North Korean Studies. He was elected in the 19th National Assembly election after running in Seongdong-gu Eul in Seoul, and is a three-term lawmaker who was consecutively elected in 2016 and 2020 in the Jung-gu and Seongdong-gu Gap constituency in Seoul. He served as Floor Spokesperson, Senior Spokesperson, Chair of the Policy Committee, and President of the Democratic Research Institute. In 2023, he was elected Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. He is regarded as moderate and rational. #HongIhk-pyo #LeeJae-myung #BlueHouse #SeniorPresidentialSecretary #DemocraticPartyOfKorea #NationalAssembly #BipartisanCooperation #KoreanPolitics #PoliticalAffairs #SouthKorea
- Chairman and CEO of ENF Technology
  Ji Yong-seok
  
  Ji Yong-seok is Chairman and CEO of ENF Technology. He also serves as CEO of the parent company Korea Alcohol Industrial and KC&A, which functions as a holding company. He was born on March 29, 1964, as the son of Ji Chang-soo, Chairman of Korea Alcohol Industrial. He graduated from Kyungmoon High School in Seoul and Yonsei University College of Medicine, and received a master’s degree in medicine from Yonsei University Graduate School. He completed the doctoral program in medicine at Korea University Graduate School. He worked as an obstetrician and gynecologist before joining Korea Alcohol Industrial as a director at the request of his father, Chairman Ji Chang-soo. In 2006, he became CEO of Korea Alcohol Industrial. In 2010, he was appointed CEO of ENF Technology, which was established as a spin-off from the Korea Alcohol Industrial research institute. After taking over his father’s company, he led it to rapid growth. He is also regarded as “a manager who grew a subsidiary larger than its parent company.” He faced management control disputes with activist funds and minority shareholders and was pointed out as carrying major shareholder risk. He now faces the task of restoring trust by strengthening ESG management to enhance corporate value and by engaging in active communication with the market. #JiYongseok #ENFTechnology #KoreaAlcoholIndustrial #KCA #ESGmanagement #CorporateGovernance #ActivistFund #MinorityShareholders #ChemicalIndustry #KoreanBusiness
- President of Korea University
  Kim Dong-one
  
  Kim Dong-one is the President of Korea University. As the university marks its 120th anniversary, he is accelerating efforts to lay the foundation for a quantum jump forward. He seeks to define the university’s identity through realizing harmony between AI and HI (Human Intelligence). He was born on January 15, 1960, in Andong. He graduated from the Department of Business Administration at Korea University and earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees in industrial relations from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the United States. He served as a professor of business administration at the State University of New York before moving to Korea University as a professor of business administration. After serving as Director of the Office of General Affairs, Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, Dean of the Graduate School of Labor Studies, Dean of the College of Business Administration, and Dean of the Graduate School of Business, he was elected President in 2023. He served as President of the International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA), becoming the third person in Asia and the first Korean to hold the position. He is devoting strong interest to building a future-oriented education and research platform. He holds the belief that participation in and research on social issues give a university its reason for existence. #KimDong-one #KoreaUniversity #UniversityPresident #AIandHI #HigherEducationLeadership #ILERA #IndustrialRelations #FutureEducation #AcademicLeadership #Andong
- CEO of Dongwon Systems
  Cho Jum-kun
  
  Cho Jum-kun is the CEO of Dongwon Systems. He is focusing on fostering the secondary battery materials business. He is also accelerating efforts to target the global eco-friendly packaging materials market. He was born on September 1, 1959, in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do. He graduated from Gangjin High School in Jeollanam-do and earned a degree in Financial Information Studies from Joosung University, now Chungbuk Health & Science University. He joined Dongwon Precision, the predecessor of Dongwon ENC, and served as plant manager of the Jincheon plant. He later moved to Dongwon Systems, where he served as Executive Vice President and head of the Packaging Division, Vice President and CEO of the Precision Division, and CEO of Daehan Aluminum Foil, a group affiliate. In 2014, he was promoted to President of Dongwon Systems and was appointed CEO. After overseeing all four business divisions, he is now specializing in and exclusively leading the Materials Division. He is a “Dongwon man” who has worked at Dongwon Group for more than 40 years. He has led the growth of Dongwon Systems by expanding its business areas through aggressive mergers and acquisitions. He is an expert in the packaging materials sector. He is credited with strengthening new growth engines by expanding beyond packaging materials into secondary batteries, thereby enhancing the future value of Dongwon Systems. #DongwonSystems #ChoJumkun #SecondaryBattery #BatteryMaterials #EcoFriendlyPackaging #MergersAndAcquisitions #DongwonGroup #PackagingExpert #CorporateLeadership #KoreanCEO
- Chairman of the Korea Federation of Banks
  Cho Yong-byoung
  
  Cho Yong-byoung is the Chairman of the Korea Federation of Banks. As calls for stronger internal controls in the banking sector grow louder, he is focusing on serving as a bridge between the banking industry and financial authorities. He was born on June 30, 1957, in Haman, South Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Daejeon High School and the College of Law at Korea University. He completed an MBA program at the Graduate School of Economics at the University of Helsinki in Finland. He joined Shinhan Bank and served as Head of the Human Resources Department, Head of the Planning Department, and Manager of the New York Branch, before working as Executive Vice President in charge of Global Business. After serving as Head of the Retail Division and Deputy President of the Sales Promotion Group, he was appointed CEO of Shinhan BNP Paribas Asset Management in 2013. He served as President of Shinhan Bank and was appointed Chairman of Shinhan Financial Group in 2017. After completing two terms as Chairman of Shinhan Financial Group, he was elected Chairman of the Korea Federation of Banks in 2023. He demonstrates strong leadership along with a soft and communicative approach. #ChoYong-byoung #KoreaFederationofBanks #ShinhanFinancialGroup #ShinhanBank #bankingleadership #financialregulation #internalcontrol #Koreanfinance #MBA #globalbanking
- Vice Chairman and CEO of Youngone Holdings
  Sung Rae-eun
  
  Sung Rae-eun is Vice Chairman and CEO of Youngone Holdings. She runs the company under a father-daughter management system. She was born on November 17, 1978, as the second daughter of Sung Ki-hak, Chairman of Youngone Group, who founded Youngone Corporation. She went to the United States during middle school, graduated from the private high school Choate Rosemary Hall, and earned a degree in sociology from Stanford University in the United States. She joined Youngone Corporation and served as Director and Executive Vice President of the Global Compliance CSR Division. In 2016, she became CEO of Youngone Holdings, the holding company of Youngone Group, and emerged as a leading successor to management control among Chairman Sung Ki-hak’s three daughters. After serving as President in charge of sales and overall management, she has served as Vice Chairman since 2022. She is serving as Chairman of the Korea Fashion Industry Association. As a second-generation business leader, she has shown respect for and adherence to the management philosophy of her father, the founder. She published a book titled “Eternal Lessons,” which reflects the nature of notes from her management training. #SungRae-eun #YoungoneHoldings #YoungoneGroup #SungKi-hak #KoreaFashionIndustryAssociation #SecondGenerationLeadership #StanfordUniversity #ChoateRosemaryHall #CSRManagement #KoreanBusinessLeader
- Chairman and CEO of SPG
  Lee Jun-ho
  
  Lee Jun-ho is Chairman and CEO of SPG. He is restructuring the company’s business portfolio around high value-added components such as precision reducers and actuators for AI robots. He was born on June 1, 1960, as the son of Lee Hae-jong, the founder of Sungshin. He graduated from the Department of English at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and from the Department of Business Administration at the University of Illinois in the United States, and completed the MBA program at the George Washington University Graduate School of Business. He joined Sungshin, a small motor company founded by his father, and worked as a director. In 1991, he founded SPG, formerly Myungjin Electronics, and became independent. He later merged Sungshin with SPG and rose to become CEO of the integrated SPG. He aims to grow the company into a key player in the humanoid and AI robot technology ecosystem based on its precision robot reducer technology. #LeeJun-ho #SPG #precisionreducers #AIrobots #actuators #humanoidrobots #roboticsindustry #KoreanCEO #businessleadership #robottechnology
- President and Head of Planning at Hoban Group
  Kim Dae-heon
  
  Kim Dae-heon is President and Head of Planning at Hoban Group. Amid a slowdown in the housing market affecting its key affiliate Hoban Construction, he is working to secure new growth engines by expanding investments in the listed company Taihan Cable & Solution and in startups. He was born on October 25, 1988, as the eldest son among two sons and one daughter of Kim Sang-yeol, founder of Hoban Group, and Woo Hyun-hee, Chairwoman of the Taesung Cultural Foundation. He graduated from Seoul High School and majored in Golf Industry at Kyung Hee University. He completed an MBA program at Korea University Business School. After working at Hoban Construction Housing, he served at Hoban Construction as Executive Director of the Future Strategy Office and as Vice President in charge of the management division. He was in charge of the planning division responsible for discovering new business opportunities at Hoban Construction, and was promoted to President of Hoban Construction, opening the second-generation management era of Hoban Group. He is the largest shareholder of Hoban Construction and is also listed as an inside director.
- CEO of Shift Up
  Kim Hyung-tae
  
  Kim Hyung-tae is the CEO of Shift Up. He is focusing on expanding the company’s game portfolio. He was born on February 7, 1978. He dropped out of the Department of Visual Communication Design at the College of Arts, Chung-Ang University. He joined the game company Mantra as an industrial technical personnel and took on his first work as a professional illustrator. After working at Softmax, he served as art director (AD) at NCSoft and participated in the design work for “Blade & Soul.” After founding Shift Up in 2013, he entered the game business with “Destiny Child,” which he co-developed with Line Games, and went on to achieve box office success with “Goddess of Victory: Nikke” and “Stellar Blade.” He is focusing on developing upcoming titles such as Project Spirit and a sequel to Stellar Blade, as well as expanding existing games. #ShiftUp #KimHyungtae #GamingIndustry #GameDevelopment #DestinyChild #Nikke #StellarBlade #ProjectSpirit #KGame #GamePortfolio
  NEWS
  - • From ‘Too Sexy’ Illustrator to Global Game Disruptor: How Kim Hyung-tae and Shift Up Shook the Industry

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