KOREA WHO

Profile

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  • CEO of SK Telecom

    Ryu Young-sang

    Ryu Young-sang is the President and CEO of SK Telecom. He is focusing on developing artificial intelligence (AI) as a future growth engine, based on the company’s core telecommunications business. He was born on May 15, 1970. He graduated from the Department of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University and earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the same university's graduate school. He completed an MBA program at the University of Washington Business School in the United States. He began his career at Samsung C&T. He later moved to SK Telecom, where he served as Head of Business Development. He then became Head of Business Development at SK C&C before returning to SK Telecom to serve as Head of Strategic Planning, Head of the Corporate Center, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He also served as Executive Vice President of the Mobile Business Division and as head of the AI strategy task force “Apollo.” In 2021, when SK Telecom was split into holding company SK Square and business entity SK Telecom, he was appointed President and CEO of SK Telecom. In 2023, he briefly served as CEO of SK Broadband for seven months before stepping down to become Chairman of the Board. On the day he was appointed CEO of SK Telecom, he set a target of achieving KRW 23 trillion (US$ 16.6 billion) in revenue by 2025. He is known as an expert in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), having led major deals such as the acquisitions of Hynix, Toshiba, and ADT Caps. Within the SK Group, he serves as Chairman of the ICT Committee of the SUPEX Council. Outside the group, he is active as Chairman of the Korea Association for ICT Promotion (KAIT). He enjoys strong trust from Park Jung-ho, Vice Chairman and CEO of SK Square. He is known for his active communication style and emphasis on a spirit of challenge. #RyuYoungsang #SKTelecom #AIstrategy #telecomindustry #KAIChairman #M&Aexpert #SKGroup #SUPEXCouncil #KoreaICT #2025revenuegoal

    NEWS

    • • SK Telecom Hacking Crisis Threatens Earnings: Ryu Young-sang Risks Trillion-Won Losses
    • • SK Telecom Eyes Third Attempt at Internet-Only Banking, Ryu Young-sang Seeks AI-Driven Financial Innovation
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  • Chairman of the Board at Coupang, Inc.

    Bom Kim

    Bom Kim(Korean: 김범석) is the Chairman of the Board and CEO of Coupang, Inc., the parent company of Coupang. After completing large-scale infrastructure development, he successfully shifted the company from "planned losses" to profitability. Kim has expanded Coupang's influence beyond e-commerce into sectors such as food delivery and online video streaming (OTT). He was born on October 7, 1978, in Seoul. Kim is a Korean-American who moved to the United States during middle school when his father, an overseas employee of Hyundai Construction, relocated there. Holding U.S. citizenship, he is known by his American name, Bom Kim. Kim graduated with a degree in political science from Harvard University and later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. While at Harvard, he founded the magazine 'Current', which he eventually sold to 'Newsweek'. He began his career at the Boston Consulting Group. Kim founded 'Vintage Media Company', which produced a monthly magazine targeting elite university graduates, later selling the company. In 2010, with KRW 3 billion in startup capital, he co-founded Coupang with Sun-joo Yoon (a director with ties from Harvard and daughter of former Minister of Strategy and Finance Yoon Jeung-hyun) and Harvard Business School alumnus Jaewoo Koh, who serves as Vice President. Initially established as a social commerce company, Coupang transitioned to an e-commerce company, introducing the groundbreaking "Rocket Delivery" service, which positioned Coupang as one of the most formidable competitors in the online and offline retail sectors. In 2021, Kim took Coupang public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), raising KRW 5 trillion (approximately USD 4.3 billion). These funds enabled Coupang to expand its nationwide logistics network and venture into new businesses such as 'Coupang Eats' and 'Coupang Play'. As a self-made entrepreneur and innovative business leader, Kim is often referred to as the "Jeff Bezos of Korea." #BomKim #Coupang #RocketDelivery #CoupangEats #CoupangPlay #ecommerce #NYSE #innovation #Harvard #selfmadeentrepreneur

    NEWS

    • • Coupang Adopts Amazon's 'Flywheel' DNA—Bom Kim's 'Bold Moves' Push Baemin and TVING to Join Forces
    • • Coupang Targets KRW 1 Trillion in Operating Profit as Bom Kim Increases Focus on Taiwan
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  • President of Korea Land & Housing Corpor

    Lee Han-joon

    Lee Han-joon(이한준 in Korean) is the president of the Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH). He is working to reduce the organization's debt and restore public trust while focusing on stabilizing the housing market. He was born on August 29, 1951 (lunar calendar) in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province. Lee graduated from Hanyang High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in urban engineering from Hanyang University. He also received a master’s degree in urban engineering from the Hanyang University Graduate School and a Ph.D. in urban planning from the Graduate School of Hongik University. He previously served as vice president of the Korea Transport Institute, president of Gyeonggi Urban Innovation Corporation (GH), and as an invited professor at Ajou University. During Kim Moon-soo’s term as governor of Gyeonggi Province, Lee served as a special policy advisor and played a key role in laying the groundwork for the Great Train Express (GTX) project in the Seoul metropolitan area. Under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, he served as an advisor for the second economic subcommittee of the Presidential Transition Committee, a civilian member of the real estate task force (TF), and a member of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Housing Supply Innovation Committee. In 2022, he was appointed president of Korea Land & Housing Corporation. He has been committed to the redevelopment of the first-generation new towns and is focusing on the creation of third-generation new towns based on a "transportation-first, move-in-later" strategy. He is also pursuing digital and design innovation across urban, transportation, and residential sectors. #LH #LeeHanJoon #KoreaLandHousing #urbanplanning #housingpolicy #GTX #realestate #publichousing #smartcity #윤석열정부

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  • Former Prime Minister of Republic of Kor

    Han Duck-soo

    Han Duck-soo is a former Prime Minister of South Korea. Before the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, he served as Prime Minister and assisted the president. During the impeachment proceedings and after Yoon’s dismissal, Han governed as acting president. Following the president's dismissal, a “Han Duck-soo for President” movement rapidly gained momentum within the conservative bloc. As a result, Han resigned from the prime minister position and officially announced his presidential bid. He competed in a unification race against Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party’s official candidate selected through the party primary, but ultimately failed to secure the nomination. He was born on June 18, 1949, in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. He graduated from Kyunggi High School and the College of Commerce at Seoul National University (Department of Economics). He then obtained both a master’s and a doctoral degree in economics from Harvard University in the United States. While in his third year of college, he passed the 8th administrative exam and entered public service. He mainly held positions in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, focusing on external economic cooperation, and served as the Chief Negotiator for Trade at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Senior Economic Secretary to the President during the Kim Dae-jung administration. He briefly left public office after being dismissed from the post of economic secretary following the controversy over the “Korea-China garlic negotiations,” which eased China's restrictions on Korean mobile phones in exchange for Korea relaxing restrictions on Chinese garlic imports. During the Roh Moo-hyun administration, he returned to public service as the Chief Coordinator for the Prime Minister’s Office, served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy, and led the Korea-US FTA negotiations as the chairman of the support committee, eventually being appointed Prime Minister. In the Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as the South Korean Ambassador to the United States, and during the Park Geun-hye administration, he was President of the Korea International Trade Association. He is known as a traditional bureaucrat who has followed an elite career path, recognized for his meticulous yet affable personality and his rational handling of affairs. #HanDuckSoo #PrimeMinister #ActingPresident #Impeachment #PresidentialBid #PeoplePowerParty #Harvard #KoreaUSFTA #GarlicDeal #Bureaucrat #KoreanPolitics #EconomicPolicy #Diplomat #PublicService

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  • Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group

    Chung Eui-sun

    Chung Eui-sun is the Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group. He is focused on transforming Hyundai Motor Group into a smart mobility solution provider that offers comprehensive services related to transportation, such as urban air mobility (UAM) and autonomous driving. He was born on October 18, 1970, in Seoul, as the eldest son among one son and three daughters of Chung Mong-koo, Honorary Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group. He graduated from Goojung Middle School and Whimoon High School in Seoul, and earned a degree in Business Administration from Korea University. After joining Hyundai Precision & Industries (now Hyundai Mobis) as a manager, he pursued further studies in the United States and obtained an MBA from the University of San Francisco. He worked at Itochu Corporation’s New York branch before joining Hyundai Motor Company as a purchasing manager. He served as Deputy Head of the Domestic Sales Division at Hyundai Motor, as well as Deputy Head of the Planning Headquarters for Hyundai and Kia Motors, before becoming the CEO of Kia Motors in 2005. After serving as Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor, he was inaugurated as Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group in 2020. During his tenure as Kia’s CEO, he led the company’s "design management" strategy and brought a new wave of innovation to Hyundai Motor by actively recruiting international executives. He is known for being modest and humble and is praised for his open communication with employees. #ChungEuisun #HyundaiMotorGroup #SmartMobility #UrbanAirMobility #AutonomousDriving #KiaMotors #DesignManagement #BusinessLeadership #KoreanBusiness #HyundaiMobilityTransformation

    NEWS

    • • Chung Eui-sun Tackles Tariff Crisis with Hyundai’s Quality Management DNA
    • • Chung Eui-sun’s Passion for Hyundai’s ‘N’ Pays Off — From Dismissal to Global Praise in 10 Years
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  • Executive Advisor of EcoPro

    Lee Dong-chae

    Lee Dong-chae(Korean: 이동채) is the Executive Advisor of EcoPro. He is also the founder of the EcoPro Group. The EcoPro Group, which focuses primarily on battery materials, is preparing countermeasures as it faces challenges due to a slowdown in the growth of the electric vehicle market. He was born on December 10, 1959, in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do. He graduated from Daegu Commercial High School and later earned a degree in Business Administration from Yeungnam University. Lee started his career at Korea Housing Bank and briefly worked at Samsung Electronics. After earning his CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license, he worked as an accountant. Despite having a stable income as an accountant, he transformed into an entrepreneur, determined to become a business leader supporting 10,000 employees. In 1998, he founded *Korea Zeoleum*, which became the foundation of EcoPro Group. He was inspired to enter the environmental business sector after learning about the Kyoto Protocol. Through unwavering efforts in the battery material business, he developed EcoPro into one of the leading companies listed on the KOSDAQ market. He was sentenced to prison for gaining profits through stock trading based on insider information but was released through a special amnesty granted on Liberation Day. Before founding EcoPro, he lost his entire fortune when a fur business he had invested in with a relative went bankrupt during the Asian financial crisis. From this experience, he learned the importance of unique business ideas, human resources, and the role of capital markets. In 2004, he received a proposal from Cheil Industries to acquire its cathode materials and precursor business, marking the beginning of EcoPro’s focus on battery materials. With stock assets worth over a trillion KRW, he ranked among the top 10 wealthiest individuals in South Korea based on stock holdings by the end of 2023. He emphasizes the importance of talent. #LeeDongchae #EcoPro #battery #electricvehicle #KyotoProtocol #entrepreneur #KOSDAQ #CPA #KoreaZeoleum #LiberationDay

    NEWS

    • • How Will Lee Dong-chae Pass Down Ecopro? Spotlight on Family Firm Daisy Partners
    • • Struggling Stock and Earnings: Can Returning Lee Dong-chae Turn Around EcoPro's Crisis?
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  • CEO of Kumho Petrochemical

    Park Jun-kyung

    Park Jun-kyung is the President and CEO of Kumho Petro Chemical. He is a third-generation business executive of the Kumho Petro Chemical Group. He is focused on strengthening the company’s eco-friendly portfolio to foster future core businesses and solidify its position as a leading company in the industry. Born on April 30, 1978, he is the eldest son of Park Chan-koo, Chairman of Kumho Petro Chemical Group. He graduated from Goojung High School in Seoul and studied Environmental Engineering at Korea University. In 2007, he began his career as a deputy general manager at Kumho Tire. He later moved to Kumho Petro Chemical, where he gained experience primarily in sales, serving as Managing Director of Resin Sales and then as Executive Vice President and Head of the Sales Division. In December 2022, he was appointed President and CEO of Kumho Petro Chemical. He is known for his humility and places great importance on maintaining horizontal relationships. #ParkJunkyung #KumhoPetroChemical #KoreanBusinessLeader #ThirdGenerationCEO #EcoFriendlyBusiness #EnvironmentalEngineering #KoreaUniversity #KumhoGroup #ChemicalIndustry #LeadershipStyle

    NEWS

    • • Kumho Petrochemical Defies Slump, Park Jun-kyung Drives Sustainable Growth
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  • Chairman of DL Group

    Lee Hae-wook

    Lee Hae-wook(Korean: 이해욱) is the chairman of DL Group. He is focusing on restructuring the business into a global developer, mainly in construction, petrochemicals, and energy sectors. He is interested in improving the group's image and establishing governance structure. Born on February 14, 1968, in Seoul, as the eldest son among three sons and two daughters of Lee Jun-yong, the honorary chairman of Daelim Group. He graduated from Seoul Kyungbok High School, earned a bachelor's degree in Business Statistics from the University of Denver in the U.S., and a master's degree in Applied Statistics from Columbia University in the U.S. He joined Daelim Engineering as a manager, became the CEO of Daelim Corporation in 2007, and was appointed as the vice chairman of Daelim Industry in 2011. As the largest shareholder of DL Company, the pinnacle of DL Group's governance structure, he transitioned to a professional management system and took on the role of chairman after stepping down from the board of directors. He has a free-spirited nature with a keen sense of art.

    NEWS

    • • DL Group’s Shadow Holding Structure: Lee Hae-wook Gains Power, Avoids Accountability
    • • Sudden Leadership Change at DL E&C, Lee Hae-wook Needs 'Key Man' in Construction
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  • Vice Chariman of Samsung Heavy Industrie

    Choi Sung-an

    Choi Sung-an is the Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries. He also serves as the Chairman of the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association. In the current boom phase of the shipbuilding industry, he aims to continue improving the company’s performance. He is focused not only on selectively winning profitable future orders but also on channeling the company's capabilities into the development of eco-friendly ships, as environmental regulations for the shipbuilding and offshore industries are set to be implemented soon. Choi was born on December 1, 1960, in Masan City, Gyeongsangnam-do (currently Changwon City). He graduated from Masan High School and later earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University. He started his career as a new employee at Samsung Engineering. He advanced through roles in the Chemical Business Team and Energy Business Team, eventually becoming the Head of the Procurement Division, Head of the Chemical Business Division, and Head of the Plant Business Division 1 before being appointed as CEO of Samsung Engineering. In December 2022, he was promoted to Vice Chairman and appointed CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries. He is highly trusted within the group, becoming one of the four Vice Chairmen in the Samsung Group and the first to be promoted to this position under the leadership of Chairman Lee Jae-yong. He considers engineering his lifelong calling and places great importance on technology. He is known for his meticulous and thorough approach to work. #SamsungHeavyIndustries #ChoiSungAn #ShipbuildingIndustry #EcoFriendlyTechnology #EngineeringLeadership #KoreaShipbuilding #MasantoChangwon #SamsungGroup #LeeJaeYongLeadership #MechanicalEngineering

    NEWS

    • • Choi Sung-an Breaks Samsung Heavy’s Loss Streak, Outsider Advantage Pays Off
    • • Samsung Heavy Industries Rides the Container Ship Order Boom: Choi Sung-an on Track to Achieve $9.7 Billion Order Target
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  • Co-CEO of NCSoft

    Park Byung-moo

    Park Byung-moo, currently serving as the Co-CEO of NCSoft, has a distinguished career marked by significant achievements and strategic leadership. Born in Seoul in 1961, Park's journey to the top began with his education at Seoul National University's Law School, where he graduated and subsequently passed the 24th National Judicial Examination at the youngest age on record. Park's career in mergers and acquisitions began at Kim & Chang, one of South Korea's leading law firms. His expertise in M&A led him to hold various high-profile positions, including CEO of Plenus Entertainment, South Korean Representative for Newbridge Capital (now TPG Asia Fund), CEO of Hanaro Telecom, Co-CEO of Bogo Fund, and CEO of VIG Partners. In 2023, Park joined NCSoft to address the company's declining performance, and in 2024, he was appointed Co-CEO. He has actively promoted restructuring and implemented efficient decision-making systems to enhance the company's management efficiency. Leveraging NCSoft's financial strength, Park is focused on acquiring companies across gaming and non-gaming sectors to identify new growth drivers for the company. Known for his sharp analysis and bold decisions, Park has earned nicknames such as "Midas Touch" and "Genius." ### Keywords #ParkByungmoo #NCSoft #CoCEO #CorporateEfficiency #MergersAndAcquisitions #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #GrowthDrivers #Innovation #StrategicLeadership

    NEWS

    • • What Changes Does Kim Taek-jin Hope Lawyer Park Byung-moo Will Bring to NCSoft?