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

- CEO and President of Iljin Electric
  Yoo Sang-seok
  
  Yoo Sang-seok is the CEO and president of Iljin Electric. He is focusing on targeting the global power market while speeding up the expansion of the company’s new business portfolio into the secondary battery materials industry. He was born on Nov. 13, 1967, in Muan County, South Jeolla Province. He graduated from Sungkyunkwan University with a degree in mechanical engineering and joined Iljin Electric. He worked as head of quality management and head of the transformer business division. He also served as senior managing director and head of the heavy electric equipment business division, and executive vice president and head of the electric wire business division. He was appointed CEO in 2025, just one year after being promoted to COO and vice president. He is an expert in electric wires and power equipment who has worked at Iljin Electric for more than 30 years and led major positions across the company. He joined the company as an entry-level employee and rose to the top management position. He emphasizes “presenting a vision” as the role of a manager. #YooSangseok #IljinElectric #CEO #powerindustry #electricwires #powerequipment #transformer #secondarybattery #batterymaterials #globalpowermarket
- CEO of Woori Investment & Securities
  Nam Ki-cheon
  
  Nam Ki-cheon is the CEO of Woori Investment & Securities. He is working to build a balanced business portfolio by diversifying the company’s product lineup, which has been centered on bonds, into stocks and global solutions. He aims to expand the company’s scale and help it grow into a comprehensive financial investment business operator. He was born on April 20, 1964, in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Daedong High School in Busan and Seoul National University’s Department of Business Administration. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from Seoul National University’s graduate school and completed an MBA program at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley in the United States. He began his career at Daewoo Securities. He served as head of Daewoo Securities’ London subsidiary and as managing director in charge of proprietary asset management. In 2016, he moved to Multi Asset Global Investments, formerly KDB Asset Management and a subsidiary of Mirae Asset Global Investments, where he served as CEO in charge of overall asset management. He was appointed CEO of Woori Asset Management and later named CEO of Woori Investment Bank. In 2024, when Woori Investment Bank merged with Foss Securities and relaunched as Woori Investment & Securities, he took office as its first CEO. He was reappointed in 2026. He is an alternative investment expert who has worked at securities firms and asset management companies for more than 20 years, and he is the first outside executive recommended by Woori Financial Group Chairman Yim Jong-yong. He invests boldly when he spots an opportunity. #NamKiCheon #WooriInvestmentSecurities #WooriFinancialGroup #CEO #securities #assetmanagement #alternativeinvestment #portfolio #globalinvestment #financialinvestment
- President and CEO of Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC)
  Son Joo-suk
  
  Son Joo-suk is the President and CEO of Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC). He has focused on restoring trust while overcoming a complex crisis involving complete capital impairment and controversy surrounding the Daewanggorae offshore gas project. He was born on October 9, 1960, in Imsil, North Jeolla Province. He graduated from Jeonju High School in North Jeolla Province and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from Kyung Hee University. He began his political career as a secretary to Lim Chun-won, a lawmaker from the Peace Democratic Party. During the 16th presidential election, he served as administrative team head at the Millennium Democratic Party’s presidential planning group and later as head of administrative support at Roh Moo-hyun’s election campaign committee under the National Participation Headquarters. After the Roh Moo-hyun administration took office, he served as Managing Director of the Environmental Management Corporation, now the Korea Environment Corporation, before being appointed Chairman in 2006. He later worked as regional committee chairman for the Sosa district of Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, under the United Democratic Party. After the Lee Myung-bak administration was launched, he left politics and public office and worked as an advisor to the civil engineering and environment division of Hanwha Engineering & Construction and as a visiting professor at Shinsung University. Under the Moon Jae-in administration, he was appointed Chairman of the Korea Petroleum Quality & Distribution Authority. The Lee Jae-myung administration brought him back into public service in March 2026 by appointing him President and CEO of Korea National Oil Corporation. #SonJoo-suk #KNOC #KoreaNationalOilCorporation #DaewanggoraeProject #KoreanEnergy #LeeJaeMyung #MoonJaein #RohMoohyun #KoreaPetroleum #EnergyPolicy
- CEO of EcoPro Materials
  Lee Kyu-bong
  
  Lee Kyu-bong is the CEO of EcoPro Materials. He is focusing on vertically integrating the supply chain for secondary battery precursors and strengthening profitability. He is also moving quickly to diversify global customers. He was born on April 7, 1970. He graduated from Hanyang University’s Department of Inorganic Materials Engineering and worked at Samsung SDI’s research institute, including as a general manager in strategic planning. After leaving Samsung SDI, where he had worked for 23 years, he joined EcoPro Group. He worked as head of research planning (executive director) at EcoPro BM and head of business operations (executive vice president) at EcoPro EM. After serving as vice president and chief operating officer (COO) at EcoPro Materials, he was appointed CEO of EcoPro Materials in March 2026. He is an expert in secondary battery materials. #LeeKyubong #EcoProMaterials #EcoPro #secondarybattery #batterymaterials #precursor #supplychain #verticalintegration #SamsungSDI #EVbattery
- Chairman and CEO of Kyungdong Navien
  Sohn Yeon-ho
  
  Sohn Yeon-ho is CEO and chairman of Kyungdong Navien. He is creating a new business model by linking clean ventilation systems, including boilers, with home network systems. He was born on July 22, 1951, in North Gyeongsang Province as the second of three sons of Sohn Do-ik, founder of Kyungdong Navien and honorary chairman of Kyungdong Group, and Kim Byeong-yeong. He graduated from Joongdong High School in Seoul and the Department of Industrial Management Engineering at Dong-A University. He joined Kyungdong Machinery, now Kyungdong Navien, which was founded by his father, and worked there before becoming CEO and president of Samson, now Kyungdong One, in 1982. He later became CEO and chairman of Kyungdong Navien, formerly Kyungdong Boiler. He also concurrently serves as CEO and chairman of Kyungdong One, the holding company. For the succession to the third generation of management, his eldest son, Sohn Heung-rak, co-CEO and vice chairman of Kyungdong Navien, and his eldest daughter, Sohn Yu-jin, vice president, are receiving management training. He served as chairman of the Korea Gas & Petroleum Appliances Association. #SohnYeonho #KyungdongNavien #KyungdongOne #boiler #cleanventilation #homenetwork #businessmodel #managementsuccession #Koreanbusiness #CEO
- CEO of Chaevi
  Jeong Min-kyo
  
  Jeong Min-kyo is the CEO of Chaevi. He is preparing to transform the company into an energy platform operator by promoting ESS-linked businesses based on its charging infrastructure platform. He was born on March 18, 1985. He graduated from Korea University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He joined Daeyoung Coretech, a machinery parts and metal cutting machine manufacturer operated by his father, where he worked as Director of Management Planning. Focusing on the growth potential of the electric vehicle charging market, he founded Daeyoung Modern Tech (now Chaevi) in 2016 and entered the electric vehicle charger manufacturing and operation business. Chaevi became the first private electric vehicle charging operator (CPO) in Korea to be listed on the KOSDAQ market. #Chaevi #JeongMinkyo #EVCharging #ElectricVehicle #CPO #ESS #EnergyPlatform #KOSDAQ #EVInfrastructure #KoreaStartup
- Chairman of Asung Daiso
  Park Jung-boo
  
  Park Jung-boo is chairman of Asung Daiso. After early retirement at age 45, he founded the company in 1988 and aggressively expanded Daiso stores through “1,000-won management” and a “fixed-price policy,” growing it into a retail giant with annual sales in the KRW 4 trillion (US$ 2.9 billion) range. He was born on December 2, 1944, in Seoul. He graduated from Seoul Yeongdeungpo High School and Hanyang University’s Department of Industrial Management. He joined Poongwoo Industrial, a company that produced light bulbs in Guro Industrial Complex, now Guro Digital Complex, and served as factory manager. He founded Hanil Manpower, a trading company, and exported household goods to Japan. In 1992, he established Asung Industrial, now Asung Daiso, and in 1997 opened “Asco Even Plaza,” a Korean version of a 100-yen shop. When controversy arose over its national identity, he bought all shares held by the Japanese company. He is strengthening the company’s identity as a “Korean-style retail company” and is focusing on expanding its offline influence into online channels. #ParkJungboo #AsungDaiso #Daiso #KoreanRetail #FixedPricePolicy #1000WonManagement #RetailBusiness #HouseholdGoods #AscoEvenPlaza #OnlineExpansion
  NEWS
  - • Park Jung-bu Builds KRW 3 Trillion Revenue with Daiso’s 1,000-Won Strategy—How Far Will It Go?
- CEO of TMC
  Ji Young-wan
  
  Ji Young-wan is the CEO of TMC. He is accelerating the expansion into high value-added business areas, including optical communication cables for AI data centers. He was born on October 9, 1964. He graduated from Seoul Airport Middle School and Seoul Hwagok High School, and earned a degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. He joined Jinro Industry and worked as a deputy general manager in the sales team. After joining TMC, he served as head of the domestic sales team and as a sales director. He was appointed CEO of the ship cable business division. In 2025, he became CEO of TMC. He places great importance on talent. He has a management philosophy that “people are the company’s competitiveness.” #TMC #JiYoungwan #AIdatacenter #OpticalCommunicationCable #ShipCable #KoreanBusiness #CEO #ElectricalEngineering #HighValueBusiness #Telecommunications
- Honorary Chairman of Misto Holdings
  Yoon Yoon-soo
  
  Yoon Yoon-soo is honorary chairman of Misto Holdings. He was born on September 9, 1945, in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. He graduated from Seoul High School and entered the pre-dentistry program at Seoul National University, but dropped out. He later graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with a degree in political science and diplomacy. He worked at Korea Shipping Corporation and the Korean branch of U.S. retailer JCPenney. He entered the sports apparel industry after joining shoe manufacturer Hwaseung. In 1991, he founded Fila Korea at the suggestion of Fila’s headquarters in Italy, with which he had built ties after establishing Daewoon Trading, a general trading company, in 1984. Through a joint venture, he acquired Fila’s headquarters and secured global business rights. He greatly expanded the company by bringing in U.S. golf equipment company Acushnet. The company changed its name to Misto Holdings to strengthen its identity as a global fashion holding company with KRW 4 trillion (US$ 2.9 billion) in revenue. In March 2026, he fully launched a second-generation management system centered on his son, CEO Yoon Keun-chang, and has been serving as a mentor who advises on mid- to long-term vision and global strategy. #YoonYoonsoo #MistoHoldings #FilaKorea #Fila #Acushnet #YoonKeunchang #globalfashion #fashionholdingcompany #sportsapparel #Koreanbusiness
- CEO of Myungin Pharm
  Lee Gwan-sun
  
  Lee Gwan-sun is the CEO of Myungin Pharm. He leads the company as co-CEO with Cha Bong-kwon, president in charge of sales. He was born on January 10, 1960, in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province. He graduated from Daejeon High School in South Chungcheong Province and Seoul National University’s College of Education, where he majored in chemistry education. He earned a master’s degree and a doctorate from the Department of Chemistry at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). He joined Hanmi Pharmaceutical and worked as head of the research institute and president of the R&D division. In 2010, he was appointed CEO and president, and later served as vice chairman for global strategy, leading the development of Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s new drug pipeline for 38 years. In 2023, he founded GID Partners to support bio-company consulting and business strategy. He served as co-chairman of Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s Research and Development (R&D) Committee. In 2026, he was recruited as CEO of Myungin Pharm. He is a new drug development expert who wrote the legend of Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s technology exports worth several trillion won. He aims to transform Myungin Pharm from a generic drugmaker into a global new drug company centered on R&D (research and development). He served as chairman of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association and as the first chairman of the Lim Sung-ki Foundation. #LeeGwan-sun #MyunginPharm #HanmiPharmaceutical #newdrugdevelopment #R&D #KAIST #DaewoongPharmaceutical #KPBMA #LimSungkiFoundation #pharmaceuticalindustry

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