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

- CEO and Chairman of Korea Investment Holdings
  Kim Nam-goo
  
  Kim Nam-goo is the CEO and Chairman of Korea Investment Holdings. He holds a firm belief in growing the Korea Investment & Securities Group into a global investment bank (IB). He was born on October 10, 1963, in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province, as the eldest son among two sons and two daughters of Kim Jae-chul, Chairman of Dongwon Group. Kim Nam-jung, Vice Chairman of Dongwon Group, is his younger brother. He graduated from Kyungseong High School in Seoul and the Department of Business Administration at Korea University. He completed an MBA program at Keio University Graduate School of Business in Japan. He joined Dongwon Industries and later moved to Dongwon Securities. After serving as head of the Strategic Planning Office, he was appointed CEO of Dongwon Financial Holdings in 2003 and also took charge as CEO of Dongwon Securities. By acquiring Korea Investment & Securities and transitioning to a financial holding company structure, he was appointed CEO of Korea Investment Holdings in 2005. He is serving as a member of the leadership of the Federation of Korean Industries. As a second-generation owner, he learned practical business skills from the ground up, even boarding distant-water fishing vessels himself in his younger years. Based on strong execution power, he practices talent-centered management. #KimNamgoo #KoreaInvestmentHoldings #KoreaInvestmentSecurities #investmentbank #financialholdingcompany #DongwonGroup #Koreanfinance #globalIB #CEO #Chairman
  NEWS
  - • Korea Investment Rewards Talent Like Pro Baseball, Kim Nam-goo Follows Father’s Lead
- CEO of LivsMed
  Lee Jung-joo
  
  Lee Jung-joo is the CEO of LivsMed. He is focusing on expanding the company’s business portfolio from the development of laparoscopic surgical instruments to surgical robots and other areas. He is also accelerating efforts to enter global markets. He was born on June 27, 1975. He graduated from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) and earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the Graduate School of Seoul National University. He also completed an MBA program at Korea University Business School. He worked as a researcher at Korea University College of Medicine and was later appointed as a research professor. In 2011, he founded LivsMed, which develops and manufactures multi-joint laparoscopic surgical instruments. He is a technology-convergence owner-manager who combines engineering expertise with a strong management mindset. He holds a management philosophy centered on the democratization of medical technology. #LeeJung-joo #LivsMed #laparoscopic #surgicalrobot #medicaldevices #biomedicalengineering #healthcareinnovation #medicaltechnology #Koreanentrepreneur #globalhealthcare
- CEO of Innocean
  Kim Jung-a
  
  Kim Jung-a is the CEO and Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Innocean. She was born on May 28, 1973. She graduated from the Department of Korean Language and Literature at Ewha Womans University and received a master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the Graduate School of Yonsei University. After joining Cheil Worldwide as a copywriter, she moved to Innocean, where she worked as a Creative Director (CD). She was promoted through the roles of Executive Creative Director (ECD) as managing director, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) as executive director, and then to vice president. In November 2025, she was appointed CEO of Innocean. Over more than 30 years in the advertising industry, she has produced and overseen brand campaigns for major domestic and global companies, including Hyundai Motor Group, Google Korea, and Domino’s Pizza. She is widely credited with raising creative competitiveness to a global level, having won more than 300 awards at international advertising festivals. She is the first female CEO in Hyundai Motor Group outside the founding owner family. As the transition to the era of artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates, she has taken on the challenge of diversifying and expanding business models. #KimJunga #Innocean #AdvertisingIndustry #ChiefCreativeOfficer #HyundaiMotorGroup #WomenCEO #GlobalAdvertising #CreativeLeadership #AITransformation #BrandCampaigns
- President of Inha University
  Cho Myeong-woo
  
  Cho Myeong-woo is the president of Inha University. He was born on May 23, 1960. He graduated from the Department of Mechanical Design at Seoul National University. After earning a master’s degree in mechanical design from Seoul National University’s graduate school, he received a Ph.D. in engineering from the graduate school of Illinois State University in the United States. He served as a senior expert at the Korea Productivity Center and as head of the Systems Division at Daewoo Electronics, before joining Inha University as a professor at the College of Engineering. He later served as vice head of the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation and as vice president for academic affairs, and was appointed president in 2018. He was reappointed for a second term in 2022. He has focused on the construction of the Songdo Campus and the development of the Gimpo Medical Campus. He has served as chairman of the Gyeonggi-Incheon Regional University Presidents Council, chairman of the Incheon Presidents Forum, and chairman of the Korea University Sports Association. #ChoMyeong-woo #InhaUniversity #universitypresident #Koreaneducation #engineeringprofessor #highereducation #SongdoCampus #GimpoMedicalCampus #universityleadership #Koreanuniversities
- CEO of KB Kookmin Bank
  Lee Hwan-ju
  
  Lee Hwan-ju is the CEO of KB Kookmin Bank. He faces the task of responding to changes in the financial environment and securing new growth engines through digital innovation, including the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. He is also placing strong emphasis on strengthening the financial consumer protection system and expanding inclusive finance. He was born in October 1964. He graduated from Sunrin Commercial High School in Seoul and the Department of Business Administration at Sungkyunkwan University. He completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at the Graduate School of the University of Helsinki in Finland. He began his professional career at Housing & Commercial Bank and went on to serve at Kookmin Bank as Head of the Foreign Exchange Business Division, Executive Director in charge of Retail Banking, and Executive Vice President of the Management Planning Group. After serving as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President at KB Financial Group, he was appointed CEO of KB Life Insurance in 2022. He oversaw the integration process of KB Life Insurance, which was launched through the merger of KB Life Insurance and Prudential Life Insurance. He served as CEO of KB Life Insurance and was appointed CEO of KB Kookmin Bank in 2025. He is a financial expert who has served as Chief Financial Officer at both KB Kookmin Bank and KB Financial Group. He emphasizes management in the field and communication. #LeeHwanju #KBKookminBank #KBFinancialGroup #KoreanBanking #FinancialCEO #DigitalInnovation #InclusiveFinance #AIinFinance #BankingLeadership #KoreaFinance
  NEWS
  - • KB Kookmin Bank Overhauls Operations with AI and Digital Channels, Lee Hwan-ju Leads Pension Market Reshuffle
  - • KB Kookmin Bank’s Lee Hwan-ju Redefines Banking, Builds ‘KB Fan Club’ with Samsung & Starbucks
- CEO of MegaStudyEdu
  Son Seong-eun
  
  Son Seong-eun is the CEO of MegaStudyEdu. He is focusing on transforming the company into a comprehensive education platform that covers all age groups, with annual revenue of KRW 1 trillion (US$ 0.7 billion). He was born on February 16, 1967, in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Yonsei University. After working as a researcher at Shinsegi Telecom, he co-founded MegaStudy in 2000 with his older brother, Chairman Son Ju-eun. In 2015, MegaStudyEdu was established through a spin-off from MegaStudy. Centered on the ‘MegaPass’ brand, he grew the company into a top-tier player in the college entrance exam market, with revenue more than seven times that of its parent company. By acquiring Ivy Kim & Young, which was well known for university transfer programs, and launching the elementary online lecture service ‘EllyHi,’ the company reinvented itself as an education enterprise serving all generations. #MegaStudyEdu #SonSeongEun #educationplatform #Koreankeducation #onlineeducation #MegaPass #EllyHi #collegeentranceexam #edtech #lifelonglearning
- President and Head of the System LSI Business of Samsung Electronics’ DS Division
  Park Yong-in
  
  Park Yong-in is President and Head of the System LSI Business at Samsung Electronics’ DS (Device Solutions) Division. He was born on April 23, 1964. He graduated from Whimoon High School in Seoul and the Department of Electronic Engineering at Yonsei University, and earned a master’s degree in electronic engineering from Yonsei University Graduate School. He began his career at LG Electronics, and later worked at LG Semicon and U.S.-based Texas Instruments (TI), before being recruited by Dongbu HiTek (now DB HiTek). At Dongbu HiTek, he established the display business division and led the development of LDI. After moving to Samsung Electronics, he held key positions in the System LSI Business, including Head of the LSI Development Office, Head of the Sensor Business Team, and Head of the System LSI Strategy and Marketing Office, playing a major role in the growth of display driver ICs (DDI), power management ICs (PMIC), and the sensor business. In 2022, he was appointed President and Head of the System LSI Business of Samsung Electronics’ DS Division. He is leading Samsung Electronics’ non-memory semiconductor business, including mobile chips, image sensors, and artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors. He is focusing on strengthening system semiconductor design capabilities to catch up with Qualcomm and Sony in mobile processors (AP) and image sensors. He has experience in design and process development in the analog and system integrated circuit (IC) fields, and is regarded as an expert in data converters, one of the most technically challenging areas within analog semiconductors. #ParkYongin #SamsungElectronics #SystemLSI #NonMemorySemiconductor #MobileChips #ImageSensor #AIsemiconductor #SystemSemiconductor #AnalogIC #DataConverter
  NEWS
  - • Samsung Accelerates Image Sensor Push, Park Yong-in Expands Client Base from Google to Chinese Manufacturers
  - • Samsung's Mid-Range 'Exynos' AP, Park Yong-in Competes with Qualcomm and MediaTek
- Designated CEO of SK Square
  Kim Jung-kyu
  
  Kim Jung-kyu is the designated CEO of SK Square. He was born in September 1976. He graduated from Korea University with a degree in Business Administration and completed an MBA program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. He has held roles including U.S. operations at an SK Telecom–Citi Group joint venture, Head of the Strategy Support Team at the SK SUPEX Council, Team Leader at SK Planet’s U.S. subsidiary, and Chief of Staff at SK Inc. In particular, he led investment and business development activities on the ground in overseas markets, including the United States, for more than 10 years. He was designated as CEO of SK Square through the year-end executive reshuffle in 2025. He was selected as the right leader to drive global AI and semiconductor investments in close coordination with Choi Jae-won, Senior Vice Chairman, who moved to SK Square on January 1, 2026. With his investment-focused leadership, he is expected to concentrate on enhancing the value of portfolio companies and increasing shareholder value. #KimJungkyu #SKSquare #SKGroup #CEO #AIInvestment #Semiconductor #GlobalStrategy #InvestmentLeadership #PortfolioValue #ShareholderValue
- Chairman of HLB Group
  Jin Yang-gon
  
  Jin Yang-gon is the chairman of HLB Group. As he focuses on mid- to long-term growth strategies, he has stepped down from the CEO position and now serves only as chairman of the board of directors of the group’s listed affiliates, including HLB. He is working to secure new growth engines through the commercialization of new drugs, including the anticancer drug “Rivoceranib,” as well as through mergers and acquisitions. He was born on January 14, 1966, in Busan. He graduated from the Department of Law at Wonkwang University and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Yonsei University Graduate School. After working at Busan Bank and Peace Bank, he resigned and operated a pub. In 1998, he founded the consulting firm JNR Partners. In 2004, he established the investment company Golden Light and entered the field of corporate mergers and acquisitions, and began the bio business by acquiring HLB. He has applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of Rivoceranib as a treatment for liver cancer and is preparing for its commercialization. He advocates people-centered management. #JinYang-gon #HLB #HLBGroup #biotechnology #anticancerdrug #Rivoceranib #FDAapproval #livercancer #M&A #pharmaceuticalindustry
  NEWS
  - • HLB’s Jin Yang-gon to Try Again After Second FDA Rejection of Liver Cancer Drug
  - • HLB's Expansion: Strategic Growth or Fundraising? Jin Yang-gon’s Multiple Directorships Spark Controversy
- CEO of Inventage Lab
  Kim Ju-hee
  
  Kim Ju-hee is the CEO of Inventage Lab. She is focusing on strengthening Inventage Lab’s capital base and commercializing its platform technology. She was born on January 24, 1974, in Daegu. She graduated from the Department of Biochemistry at Kyungpook National University and earned a master’s degree in biochemistry from Hanyang University Graduate School and a doctoral degree in biochemistry from Kyungpook National University Graduate School. She worked as a researcher at Kwangdong Pharmaceutical, the Hanyang University Institute of Biomedical Science, Seegene, and Korea Schnell Pharmaceutical, and later took charge of clinical analysis and strategy work at Hubert Bio and BC World Pharmaceutical. Identifying the potential of long-acting injectable drugs, she founded Inventage Lab in 2015. She has built more than 20 years of hands-on experience in research and development and strategic planning in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. She is known for her ability to read market demand and capture opportunities. #KimJuhee #InventageLab #biotechnology #pharmaceutical #longactinginjectables #drugdelivery #biotechstartup #R&D #platformtechnology #KoreanbiotechCEO

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