KOREA WHO

Profile

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  • Chairman of Meritz Financial Group

    Cho Jung-ho

    Cho Jung-ho is the chairman of Meritz Financial Group. He was born on October 5, 1958 (lunar calendar) in Incheon as the youngest of four sons and one daughter of Cho Jung-hoon, the founder of Hanjin Group. He graduated from high school in Boston, USA, and majored in Economics at the University of Southern California. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland. He joined Korean Air as a deputy manager and worked at the European regional headquarters before moving to Hanil Securities. After working at Hanjin Investment & Securities, he joined Dongyang Fire & Marine Insurance, a subsidiary of Hanjin Group, as Vice President. He was the first among his siblings to become independent from Hanjin Group. He renamed Hanjin Investment & Securities and Dongyang Fire & Marine Insurance to Meritz Securities and Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance respectively and became the chairman of Meritz Securities. After his father, founder Cho Jung-hoon, passed away, he separated Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance, Meritz Securities, and Hanbul Securities from the group and launched Meritz Financial Group by consolidating these three financial companies. He was appointed chairman of the holding company, Meritz Financial Group, but stepped down from management after facing criticism for receiving KRW 13.6 billion (USD 9.8 million) in salary and dividends. He served as the full-time chairman of Meritz Securities and returned as the chairman of Meritz Financial Group in 2014. He is proactive in recruiting talent and ensures autonomy for professional managers. He operates a system that actively recruits talent and rewards performance accordingly. #ChoJungHo #MeritzFinancialGroup #HanjinGroup #KoreanAir #MeritzSecurities #MeritzFireMarineInsurance #HanbulSecurities #BusinessLeadership #TalentRecruitment #PerformanceRewards

    NEWS

    • • ‘Left With What His Brothers Didn’t Take’ — How Cho Jung-ho Became Korea’s Richest Shareholder Through Meritz
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  • CEO & President of KT

    Kim Young-shub

    Kim Young-shub is CEO & President of KT. He is actively seeking new growth engines for KT in areas such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Notably, he is accelerating the 'AICT' (AI + ICT) project in collaboration with Microsoft. Born on April 10, 1959, in Mungyeong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, he graduated from Kyungbuk High School and later earned a degree in Business Administration from Korea University. He began his career at Lucky Goldstar (now LX International), which is the predecessor of LG Corporation, working in the General Affairs Department and the Financial Improvement Team of the LG Restructuring Headquarters before moving to LGCNS. At LGCNS, he served as Vice President of the Management Support Division and head of the Solution Business Division, before taking on the role of CFO (Chief Financial Officer) at LG Uplus. After being appointed as CEO, he returned to LGCNS. Upon taking office as CEO of LGCNS, he enhanced organizational efficiency through a restructuring process. In August 2023, he was appointed as the CEO of KT. With his experience of expanding IT businesses by focusing on smart logistics and smart cities during his tenure at LGCNS, he is expected to leverage related capabilities in KT's IT new business sector. However, he also faces the challenge of addressing various uncertainties in KT's telecommunications operations. Although he is recognized as a financial expert, he also possesses a high level of understanding of IT technology. #KimYoungShub #KT #AI #cloudcomputing #Microsoft #AICT #LGCNS #telecommunications #ITbusiness #CFO

    NEWS

    • • KT Projected to Lead Telecom Profitability in Q1, Kim Young-shub Reclaims Throne with Efficiency and AI
    • • KT Caught in Crossfire as Trump Boosts AI Dominance: Kim Young-shub’s Microsoft Partnership at Risk
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  • CEO of Duk San Neolux

    Lee Su-hun

    Lee Su-hun is the chief executive officer of Duksan Neolux and also serves as chairman within the Duksan Holdings group. He concurrently holds CEO positions at Duksan Holdings, Duksan Hi-Metal, and Duksan EtherCT. He is actively pursuing business diversification for Duksan Neolux, including the acquisition of Hyundai Heavy Industries Turbo Machinery. While pushing for the diversification of OLED materials and expansion of production capacity, he is also tightening focus on the company's existing OLED materials business. Born on January 10, 1976, Lee is the eldest son of Lee Joon-ho, the founder of Duksan Group. He is a second-generation business leader who inherited control of the Duksan Holdings group. He studied History Education at Korea University and received a master's degree from the Graduate School of International Studies at the same university. After working in the Corporate Planning Office at Dongbu Anam Semiconductor, he joined Duksan Hi-Metal in 2007. In 2019, he became CEO of Duksan Neolux, followed by CEO roles at Duksan Hi-Metal and Duksan Nepcores. He resigned from the CEO posts at Duksan Neolux and Duksan Hi-Metal and became chairman of the Duksan Holdings group in 2023. In 2024, as part of efforts to strengthen management and leadership accountability, he returned as CEO of both Duksan Neolux and Duksan Hi-Metal. He is known for his humility and servant leadership, avoiding rigid authoritative structures. He values people above all in corporate management, believing that 90 percent of failures and 100 percent of successes in business stem from people. #LeeSuHun #DuksanNeolux #OLEDmaterials #BusinessDiversification #ServantLeadership #KoreanBusiness #SecondGenerationLeadership

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  • CEO of Deepnoid

    Choi Woo-sik

    Choi Woo-sik is the CEO of Deepnoid. He is the founder of Deepnoid, a medical artificial intelligence (AI) solutions company. He is working to expand the market for a chest X-ray interpretation report generation solution. He was born on October 4, 1969. He graduated from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Yonsei University. He began his career as a mobile phone development engineer at Hanwha Information and Communications and later moved to Samsung Electronics to further his experience. In 2002, he founded the mobile phone development company Appleton and served as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO), though the company faced ups and downs. Turning to AI, he founded Deepnoid in 2008 and became its CEO. He aims to build a company that helps make AI accessible to everyone in the country. #ChoiWooSik #Deepnoid #AIhealthcare #YonseiUniversity #medicalAI #Koreanstartup #XrayAI #digitalhealth #Koreanentrepreneur #AIinnovation

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  • CEO of Naver Corp.

    Choi Soo-yeon

    Choi Soo-yeon is the CEO of Naver. She is focusing on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into core businesses such as search, commerce, and content. She was born on November 3, 1981, in Gwangju Metropolitan City. She graduated from Gwangju Dongshin Girls’ High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Earth Environmental Systems Engineering. She also graduated from Yonsei University Law School and completed the LLM program at Harvard Law School. She passed the first bar exam in Korea, earning her lawyer qualification, and also holds a New York State bar license. She worked in the communication and marketing department at NHN and served as a corporate M&A and capital markets law specialist at Yulchon LLC. After rejoining Naver, she led the global business support division and was appointed CEO in 2022. #ChoiSooYeon #Naver #AIintegration #businessleadership #KoreanCEOs #HarvardLaw #YonseiLaw #technologybusiness #globalbusiness #corporateleadership

    NEWS

    • • Lee Hae-jin’s Return to Naver Boosts Choi Soo-yeon — The Era of ‘Lee Hae-jin Kids’ Begins
    • • Naver Launches AI-Powered, Same-Day Delivery Shopping App—E-commerce Battle Heats Up Against Coupang
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  • Head of the Foundry Business at Samsung

    Han Jin-man

    Han Jin-man is the President and Head of the Foundry Business in the Device Solutions (DS) Division at Samsung Electronics. He is focusing the company's efforts on narrowing the technological gap in advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes with Taiwan’s TSMC. He was born on October 24, 1966, in Gangwon Province. He graduated from Gangwon High School and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from Seoul National University. He joined Samsung Electronics' Semiconductor (DS) Division as part of the DRAM Design Team in the Memory Business Unit. After working at Micron in the United States, he returned to Samsung Electronics as a senior executive in the Flash Development Office of the Memory Business Unit. He later held positions as Head of the PE Team in the Solution Development Office, Head of the SSD Development Team, and Head of the Product Planning Team in the Strategic Marketing Office, before serving as the Head of Strategic Marketing. After working as the Head of Samsung Electronics’ DS Division in North America, he was promoted in 2024 to President and Head of the Foundry Business in the DS Division. He is focused on securing big-tech clients for semiconductor processes below 2 nanometers. #Samsung #semiconductor #foundry #TSMC #SamsungElectronics #chipmanufacturing #nanotechnology #techleadership #memorybusiness #engineering

    NEWS

    • • UMC-GF Merger Cornering Samsung Foundry — Yield Pressure Mounts for Han Jin-man
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  • Director of Financial Supervisory Servic

    Lee Bok-hyun

    Lee Bok-hyeon is the Director of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). He is tasked with leading financial market stabilization, including supporting capital market value-up and restructuring real estate project financing (PF). He is also dedicated to strengthening the supervision and oversight of the financial sector’s governance and internal controls to enhance consumer protection. Born on October 5, 1972, in Seoul, Lee graduated from Seoul Kyungmoon High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Economics. He passed the 33rd Certified Public Accountant exam and the 42nd Judicial Exam. As a prosecutor from the 32nd Judicial Research and Training Institute, Lee served in various roles, including positions at the Gunsan District Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Justice Prosecutor's Office, the Chuncheon District Prosecutor's Office, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office, and the Economic Crime Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office. Lee is the youngest and first Financial Supervisory Service Director to come from a prosecutorial background. With an accounting qualification, he has insight into financial and tax crime investigations. He has a close relationship with President Yoon Suk-yeol and is known as the youngest member of the 'Yoon Suk-yeol Faction.' During President Yoon's days as a prosecutor, they worked together on investigations, including the Hyundai Motor slush fund case and the low-priced sale of Lone Star Exchange Bank. Lee was also dispatched to the special investigation team for the Park Geun-hye·Choi Soon-sil scandal to investigate the Samsung Group succession issue. #LeeBokhyeon #FinancialSupervisoryService #FSS #FinancialMarket #RealEstatePF #ConsumerProtection #KoreanEconomy #YoonSukyeolFaction #FinancialCrime #ProsecutorTurnedDirector

    NEWS

    • • Rift Deepens Among Financial Chiefs Over Lee Bok-hyun’s Stance
    • • FSS Chief Lee Bok-hyun Offers a 'Carrot' to Nervous Insurance CEOs, Eases RBC Regulations
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  • Vice Chairman of Lotte E&C

    Park Hyun-chul

    Park Hyun-chul is the Vice Chairman and CEO of Lotte Engineering & Construction. He was brought in as a relief pitcher for Lotte Engineering & Construction, which faced a liquidity crisis due to the real estate market downturn. With high interest rates, rising construction material costs, and a prolonged economic downturn, he is focusing on improving the profitability of the housing business and diversifying the revenue structure through new business initiatives. He was born on October 16, 1960, in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. He graduated from Yeongnam High School in Daegu and majored in Statistics at Kyungpook National University. He joined Lotte Engineering & Construction and worked through the Lotte Group Management Headquarters and Lotte Policy Headquarters before serving as the Head of Business Division at Lotte Corporation. As CEO of Lotte Corporation, he led the completion of the Lotte World Tower, a long-cherished project of the Lotte Group. He moved to Lotte Holdings, where he served as the Head of the Management Improvement Office. In 2022, he succeeded CEO Ha Suk-joo and was appointed CEO of Lotte Engineering & Construction, later being promoted to Vice Chairman. He spent about half of his career at the group's control tower, the Lotte Policy Headquarters, and Lotte Holdings. He is known for valuing on-site work and has been recognized for his meticulous style and crisis management skills. #ParkHyunChul #LotteConstruction #realestate #economiccrisis #highinterest #constructionmaterials #diversification #management #crisismanagement #LotteWorldTower

    NEWS

    • • Park Hyun-chul of Lotte E&C Clears Key Hurdle in Financial Stability, Races to Contain Bridge Loan Risks
    • • Lotte E&C Starts Strong in Urban Redevelopment, Park Hyun-chul Eyes Overseas Breakthrough
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  • Chairman of BNK Financial Group

    Bin Dae-in

    Bin Dae-in is the CEO and Chairman of BNK Financial Group. He is striving to improve performance through personnel renewal and digital transformation, aiming to elevate the company to a global financial group based outside the capital region. He is dedicated to strengthening internal controls and expanding coexistence finance to build customer trust. Bin was born on July 8, 1960, in Namhae, Gyeongsangnam-do. He graduated from Busan Horticulture High School and Kyungsung University's Department of Law. He joined Busan Bank and held various positions including Head of the Management Innovation Department, Head of the Human Resources Department, Manager of the Sasang Industrial Complex Branch, Head of the Northern Business Division, and Vice President. He served as Acting President of Busan Bank before being appointed President of Busan Bank. After leaving BNK Financial Group as President of Busan Bank, he returned two years later to succeed former Chairman Kim Ji-wan as CEO and Chairman of BNK Financial Group. Bin is known for his diligent and meticulous "model student style," demonstrating gentle and rational leadership. #BNKFinancialGroup #BinDaein #DigitalTransformation #InternalControls #CustomerTrust #BusanBank #FinancialLeadership #SouthKoreaFinance #GlobalFinance #LeadershipStyle

    NEWS

    • • BNK’s Path to a Full-Service Financial Group Still Distant – Bin Dae-in’s ‘Too Slow’ Leadership
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  • Vice Chairman of Kumho E&C

    Park Se-chang

    Park Se-chang is the President of the Management Division at Kumho Construction. Together with CEO and President Seo Jae-hwan, he is responsible for the management of Kumho Construction. He was born in Seoul on July 16, 1975. He graduated from Whimoon High School and Yonsei University with a degree in Biology, and earned an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management. He joined Asiana Airlines in 2002, and went on to serve as Executive Director of the Strategic Management Division at Kumho Asiana Group, Vice President of Kumho Tire, and CEO of Asiana IDT, before becoming President of Kumho Construction in 2021. He is the third-generation owner of the Kumho Asiana Group, with his grandfather being the founder Chairman Park In-chon and his father being former Chairman Park Sam-koo. He is focused on achieving results through Kumho Construction to rebuild the group, which has effectively been disbanded. He is known for being humble, polite, and having good crisis management skills. #ParkSechang #KumhoConstruction #management #KumhoAsianaGroup #businessleader #MIT #AsianaAirlines #KumhoTire #AsianaIDT #corporatereconstruction

    NEWS

    • • From 7th in the Business Rankings to Just Kumho E&C and Kumho Express Left – Park Se-chang’s Arduous Road
    • • Kumho E&C Reshapes Board, But Third-Generation Leadership Still on Hold as Park Se-chang Awaits Turnaround