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

- 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
- 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
- CEO and President of EcoPro BM
  Choi Moon-ho
  
  Choi Moon-ho is the CEO and president of EcoPro BM. He is focusing on increasing production capacity and expanding market share with the goal of making the company the world’s No. 1 secondary battery materials company. He was born on April 15, 1974. He graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Chemical Engineering. He earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering and a doctorate in energy engineering from Hanyang University Graduate School. He worked at Zeobuilder and Asin Technology before joining EcoPro, where he was in charge of the battery business. He moved to EcoPro BM and served as head of the development division. After serving as chief technology officer (CTO), he was appointed co-CEO and president in 2022. As an engineer by background, he is pushing to cut costs while securing differentiated technological capabilities. #ChoiMoonho #EcoProBM #EcoPro #secondarybattery #batteryMaterials #cathodeMaterials #batteryIndustry #CEO #technologyLeadership #costReduction
- CEO and President of Daejoo Electronic Materials
  Lim Il-ji
  
  Lim Il-ji is the CEO and president of Daejoo Electronic Materials. She leads the company as co-CEO with her younger brother, Vice President Lim Jung-kyu. She was born on October 27, 1970, as the second daughter among one son and three daughters of Lim Moo-hyun, founder and chairman of Daejoo Electronic Materials. She graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in biochemistry. She joined Daejoo Fine Chemical, now Daejoo Electronic Materials, and oversaw technology sales. After serving as executive vice president in charge of sales, she was appointed co-CEO in 2008. She is focusing on business diversification centered on silicon anode materials and the expansion of the global supply chain. #LimIlji #DaejooElectronicMaterials #CEO #siliconanode #batteryMaterials #globalSupplyChain #businessDiversification #YonseiUniversity #technologySales #secondaryBattery
- CEO and President of Firstec
  Son Kyeong-seok
  
  Son Kyeong-seok is the CEO and president of Firstec. He is focusing on improving performance by expanding global orders based on accumulated defense technology. He was born on May 5, 1960. He graduated from Kwandong University with a degree in business administration. He joined Jeil Precision Industrial, now Firstec, and worked as executive director in charge of sales and managing director of the factory. After serving as vice president, he was appointed CEO and president in 2018. He led the company’s transformation into a “global defense solutions company.” He aims to help the company leap forward from covering the “muscles” of traditional defense, or actuators, to covering the “brain” of future defense, including AI and unmanned systems. #SonKyeongseok #Firstec #defenseindustry #defensetechnology #globalorders #AIdefense #unmannedsystems #actuators #defensesolutions #Koreandefense
- CEO and President of Samsung Electro-Mechanics
  Chang Duck-hyun
  
  Chang Duck-hyun is the CEO and president of Samsung Electro-Mechanics. He is focusing his capabilities on expanding the AI substrate business and electric vehicle parts business. He was born on February 13, 1964. He graduated from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Seoul National University. He received a master’s degree in electronic engineering from the graduate school of Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in electronic engineering from the University of Florida in the United States. He joined Samsung Electronics and worked as head of the Solution Development Office in the Memory Business Division. He served as head of the LSI Development Office, head of SoC Development, and head of the Component Platform Business Team in the System LSI Business Division, before working as head of the Sensor Business Team. In 2022, he was appointed CEO and president of Samsung Electro-Mechanics. He is regarded as having the technological DNA of both memory semiconductors and system semiconductors. He values communication. When he has time, he enjoys surfing. #ChangDuckhyun #SamsungElectroMechanics #Samsung #AIsubstrate #electricvehicleparts #semiconductors #memorysemiconductor #systemsemiconductor #electronicengineering #corporateleadership
  NEWS
  - • Chang Duck-hyun Faces Risk as TSMC’s SoW-X Technology Shakes Samsung Electro-Mechanics
  - • Samsung Electro-Mechanics Faces Gloomy Outlook, Chang Duck-hyun's MLCC Pressured

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