KOREA WHO

Kim Ji-yong is the chairman of Kookmin University. He was appointed as the chairman of Kookmin Education Foundation in December 2016.

Emphasizing entrepreneurial spirit, he focuses on nurturing practical fusion talents that change the world collectively.

Born on October 1, 1973, in Seoul, he graduated from Seoul High School and Korea University with a major in Business Administration.

As a third-generation owner of Ssangyong Group, he also serves as the chairman of the school corporation Guam Education Foundation and the Sunggok Press and Culture Foundation.

He previously served as the head of the Korean national team at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and as the president of the Korea Swimming Federation.

After the dissolution of Ssangyong Group following the IMF financial crisis, he faced challenges in managing the university due to government financial support restrictions and the stigma of being designated as a university with limited financial support.

He established the first automotive graduate school, automotive college, and automotive industry graduate school in Korea, focusing on cultivating the best automotive engineering and design experts in the country.

He is expanding Kookmin University's specialization in future mobility by incorporating automotive technology.