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

- President of Hoban Construction overseeing overall management
  Park Chul-hee
  
  Park Chul-hee is CEO and president of Hoban Construction. He also serves as chairman of the company’s board of directors. He was born on May 25, 1971. He completed an MBA program at Konkuk University Graduate School of Business Administration. After joining Hoban Construction, he was appointed CEO of Sky Valley Country Club, a golf course affiliate of Hoban Construction, in 2009 while still in his 30s. After Hoban Construction Industry merged with Hoban Construction, he served as head of the Business Management Division and vice president at Hoban Construction before being appointed CEO and president in 2018. He also headed Hoban, which later merged with Hoban Construction. He briefly stepped down as CEO while Hoban Construction prepared for an initial public offering, but returned as sole CEO after the IPO was postponed. He emphasizes strong fundamentals. He resolves difficult problems by confronting them head-on. #ParkChulhee #HobanConstruction #ConstructionIndustry #CorporateLeadership #BusinessManagement #BoardChairman #ChiefExecutiveOfficer #IPO #ManagementStrategy #ExecutiveBiography
- Hyundai Department Store Group Chairman and Hyundai Department Store CEO
  Chung Ji-sun
  
  Chung Ji-sun is the chairman of Hyundai Department Store Group. He also serves as CEO of Hyundai Department Store. While continuing to improve the performance of the department store and duty-free businesses, he faces the task of raising the growth potential of the living business centered on Zinus. He was born on Oct. 20, 1972, in Seoul as the eldest son of Chung Mong-keun, honorary chairman of Hyundai Department Store. After graduating from Kyungbock High School in Seoul, he studied sociology at Yonsei University and later completed the special student program at Harvard University and the Asian economics program at Harvard University’s graduate school. He worked at Hyundai Department Store as head of the planning office and as vice president in charge of planning and management. After serving as executive vice chairman of Hyundai Department Store Group, he became chairman in 2007 when his father stepped back from front-line management. He communicates with employees without formality. He has shown warm-hearted leadership. #ChungJi-sun #HyundaiDepartmentStore #HyundaiDepartmentStoreGroup #Zinus #dutyfree #departmentstore #livingbusiness #leadership #retail #Koreanbusiness
  NEWS
  - • Chung Ji-sun and Chung Kyo-sun’s Sibling Leadership at Hyundai Department Store Group—No Split?
  - • Chung Ji-sun Speeds Up Holding Company Transition, Strengthens Shareholder Trust
- CJ Group chairman
  Lee Jay-hyun
  
  Lee Jay-hyun is chairman of CJ Group. He is preparing for management succession through his eldest son, Lee Sun-ho, head of CJ’s Future Planning Group, and his eldest daughter, Lee Kyoung-hoo, head of CJ ENM’s Brand Strategy Office. He was born on March 19, 1960, in Seoul as the second of one daughter and two sons of Lee Maeng-hee, former honorary chairman of CJ, and Son Bok-nam, former management adviser of CJ CheilJedang. His older sister is Lee Mi-kyung, vice chair of CJ Group, and his younger brother is Lee Jae-hwan, chairman of Jaesan Holdings. He graduated from Kyungbock High School in Seoul and Korea University with a degree in law. He worked at Citibank before joining CheilJedang. He moved to Samsung Electronics’ Strategic Planning Office, then returned and became CEO of CheilJedang in 1997. In 2002, he led CheilJedang’s separation and independence from Samsung Group, then expanded its business areas from food into logistics, biotechnology and media. He served time in prison after being sentenced to a prison term on charges including tax evasion, but was released through a Liberation Day special pardon. He returned to management in 2017 and has been directing mergers and acquisitions as well as the restructuring of affiliates’ governance structures. #LeeJayhyun #CJGroup #CJCheilJedang #CJENM #LeeSunho #LeeKyounghoo #SamsungGroup #ManagementSuccession #KoreanBusiness #BusinessBiography
  NEWS
  - • Lee Jay-hyun’s Confidence in CJ’s "Global Cultural Empire" – K-Beauty Joins K-Food and K-Content
  - • CJ Group Lee Jae-hyun Holds Management Meeting After Executive Appointments: "Chance for Global Leap"
- Chairman and CEO of MiCo
  Jeon Sun-kyu
  
  Jeon Sun-kyu is the chairman and CEO of MiCo. He was born in Seoul on April 24, 1958. He graduated from Inchang High School in Seoul and earned a degree in business administration from Seoul National University. He began his career at Hyundai Electronics Industries, now SK hynix. He later worked in semiconductor equipment-related positions at Leybold Korea and Team Korea. He founded KoMiCo in 1996. He later split the company into MiCo and KoMiCo through a spin-off. He grew the company by localizing cleaning and coating technologies for semiconductor equipment components. He successfully expanded its business into ceramic materials, fuel cells, biotechnology and other fields. #JeonSun-kyu #MiCo #KoMiCo #semiconductor #semiconductorequipment #cleaningtechnology #coatingtechnology #ceramicmaterials #fuelcells #biotechnology
- CEO of Wonik QnC
  Baek Hong-ju
  
  Baek Hong-ju is the CEO of Wonik QnC. He is focusing on expanding the company’s production capacity for semiconductor quartz products. He is also accelerating efforts to build a total solutions system by diversifying its global customer base and expanding the scale of its business. He was born on December 3, 1961. He graduated from the Department of Applied Physics at Inha University. He joined Samsung Electronics and worked at its Semiconductor Research Center. He later moved to the Memory Business Division, where he served as a project leader, head of the company’s Chinese subsidiary, and head of the Manufacturing Technology Center. He also served as executive vice president overseeing testing and system packaging. In 2022, he was recruited as president and CEO of Wonik QnC. He is a semiconductor expert who built his career at Samsung Electronics. He places great importance on maintaining an overwhelming technological advantage. #BaekHongju #WonikQnC #semiconductor #quartz #SamsungElectronics #semiconductorexpert #productioncapacity #globalcustomers #totalsolutions #technologyleadership
- Mayor of Ulsan Metropolitan City
  Kim Sang-wook
  
  Kim Sang-wook is the mayor of Ulsan. He is focusing on solving Ulsan’s pending issues while emphasizing “citizen-sovereignty administration” and “pragmatism.” He was born on January 1, 1980, in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Yeongjin High School in Daegu and Korea University’s Department of Law. He graduated from Pusan National University Law School as a member of its first class and passed the first bar examination. After working in the financial sector at companies including Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance and Woori Bank, he worked in Ulsan as managing attorney at The Jeongseong Law Firm and served for more than 10 years as a legal adviser to Nam District Office and Nam District Council. After serving as legal advisory committee chair of the People Power Party’s Ulsan chapter, he entered politics in the 2024 22nd general election, when he was elected as a National Assembly member for Ulsan Nam District A through the party’s public recommendation system. He held key posts, including floor deputy leader of the People Power Party and chair of the party’s Ulsan chapter, but during the Dec. 3 insurrection incident, he showed his convictions by standing against his party’s position and taking part alone in the impeachment vote against former President Yoon Suk Yeol. After leaving the People Power Party in May 2025, he declared support for President Lee Jae-myung and abruptly joined the Democratic Party of Korea. In the 9th nationwide local elections held in June 2026, he ran in the Ulsan mayoral election as the Democratic Party of Korea’s candidate and was elected. Politically, he aims to be a rational conservative and has an easygoing personality. #KimSangwook #UlsanMayor #Ulsan #DemocraticPartyOfKorea #PeoplePowerParty #YoonSukYeol #LeeJaemyung #CitizenSovereignty #Pragmatism #KoreanPolitics
- HD Hyundai Chairman and CEO
  Chung Ki-sun
  
  Chung Ki-sun is chairman and CEO of HD Hyundai. He also serves as CEO of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the intermediate holding company for the shipbuilding division, and HD Hyundai Site Solutions, the intermediate holding company for the construction equipment division. He was born in Seoul on May 3, 1982, as the eldest son among the two sons and two daughters of Chung Mong-joon, chairman of the Asan Foundation. He graduated from Daewon Foreign Language High School in Seoul and Yonsei University’s Department of Economics, and completed an MBA program at Stanford Graduate School of Business in the United States. After joining Hyundai Heavy Industries, he studied in the United States and then worked at the Korean office of Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He rejoined Hyundai Heavy Industries and served as head of the finance division and head of the shipbuilding and offshore sales division before becoming CEO of Hyundai Global Service, now HD Hyundai Marine Solution, in 2017. After serving as head of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group’s Shipbuilding & Offshore Sales Division, he began to step to the forefront of group management in earnest by taking on the roles of CEO of HD Hyundai and CEO of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering. He ended HD Hyundai Group’s professional management system and opened an owner-management system for the first time in 37 years. He actively attends external events and enjoys skiing, hiking, swimming, golf and tennis. #ChungKiSun #HDHyundai #HDKoreaShipbuilding #HDHyundaiMarineSolution #HyundaiHeavyIndustries #shipbuilding #constructionequipment #ownerManagement #KoreanBusinessLeader #executiveBiography
  NEWS
  - • HD Hyundai Bets Big with Unified Shipbuilding Push Against China
  - • Chung Ki-sun Nears Final Hurdle in HD Hyundai Succession — More Than a Golden Spoon?
- POSCO Holdings CEO and Chairman
  Chang In-hwa
  
  Jang In-hwa is CEO and chairman of POSCO Holdings. He is weighing the acquisition of HMM as part of business diversification while focusing on securing safety at worksites. He was born on August 17, 1955, in Seoul. He graduated from Kyunggi High School in Seoul and Seoul National University’s Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering. He received a master’s degree in naval architecture from Seoul National University Graduate School and a doctorate in ocean engineering from the University of Massachusetts in the United States. He joined POSCO and worked as head of the Steel Structures Research Lab at the Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST). After serving as head of the New Business Office in the Growth Investment Division, head of the New Business Management Office in the Finance and Investment Division, and head of the Steel Solution Marketing Office in the Steel Business Division, he worked as head of the Technology Investment Division and head of the Technical Research Laboratories. While serving as head of the Steel Production Division, he was appointed CEO and president in 2018. He became a final candidate in the process to select the chairman of POSCO Holdings, but after failing to win the post, he left the company and returned as chairman in 2024. He has shown benevolent leadership that brings members together. He is interested in listening to opinions and reflecting them in management. #JangInhwa #POSCOHoldings #POSCO #HMM #businessdiversification #workplacesafety #steelindustry #leadership #corporategovernance #Koreanbusiness
  NEWS
  - • Chang In-hwa Sharpens POSCO Group’s Restructuring, Steel Competitiveness Gains Now Crucial
  - • POSCO Holdings Chairman Chang In-hwa: Finding a Breakthrough to Overcome a Challenging First Year
- KB Financial Group chairman and CEO
  Yang Jong-hee
  
  Yang Jong-hee is chairman and CEO of KB Financial Group. He is working to transform the company’s business model and find future growth engines through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). He was born on June 10, 1961, in Jeonju. He graduated from Jeonju High School and Seoul National University’s Department of Korean History, and completed an MBA program at Sogang University’s Graduate School of Business. He began his career at Housing & Commercial Bank. After Housing & Commercial Bank was merged into Kookmin Bank, he served as head of KB Kookmin Bank’s Seocho Station branch, secretary-general of the board of directors at KB Financial Group, head of the strategic planning department, and managing director in charge of strategic planning. After leading the working-level process for the acquisition of LIG Insurance, he was selected as CEO and president of KB Insurance in 2016. After serving as vice chairman of KB Financial Group, he was appointed chairman in 2023. He is regarded as strong in finance and strategy, and as meticulous in handling work. He is actively calling for the adoption of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the pursuit of new businesses such as digital assets. #YangJonghee #KBFinancialGroup #KBFinancial #KBBank #KBInsurance #AI #DigitalAssets #BusinessModelTransformation #FinancialStrategy #KoreanFinance
  NEWS
  - • Yang Leads KB Toward KRW 6 Trillion Profit, Rewriting Value Strategy Ask ChatGPT
  - • Yang Jong-hee’s Second Term at KB Financial Begins Strong with Earnings Momentum and Innovation Confidence
- Lotte Group Chairman
  Shin Dong-bin
  
  Shin Dong-bin is chairman of Lotte Group. He also serves as CEO of Lotte Corp., Lotte Chemical, Lotte Shopping and Lotte Wellfood. He is working to overcome the group’s difficult situation through personnel reform and the search for new growth engines. He was born on February 14, 1955, in Tokyo, Japan, as the second son among the two sons and two daughters of Shin Kyuk-ho, the founder of Lotte Group. He graduated from the high school division of Aoyama Gakuin in Japan and Aoyama Gakuin University. He completed an MBA program at Columbia Business School in the United States. He worked at Nomura Securities in Japan and then at Lotte Corporation in Japan. He joined Honam Petrochemical as an executive director, entering Korea’s Lotte Group. After serving as vice president of Lotte Group’s Planning and Coordination Office and head of its Policy Headquarters, he became chairman in 2011. In 2015, he also became CEO of Lotte Holdings in Japan. He is preparing for the succession of management control by bringing his son Shin Yoo-yeol to the front line of management. He is humble and places importance on etiquette. He has been described as quiet, but aggressive in management. #ShinDongbin #LotteGroup #LotteCorp #LotteChemical #LotteShopping #LotteWellfood #ShinYooYeol #LotteHoldings #KoreanBusiness #BusinessLeadership
  NEWS
  - • Lotte’s Job-based Pay Push Faces Harsh Reality — Shin Dong-bin’s Optimism Meets Tough Road Ahead
  - • Lotte Overhauls Outside Directors — Shin Dong-bin Replaces Officials with Industry Experts

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