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

- CEO of Solus Advanced Materials
  Kwak Keun-man
  
  Kwak Keun-man is the CEO of Solus Advanced Materials. He is focusing on securing investment resources through rebalancing while accelerating the expansion of production capacity for battery copper foil used in secondary batteries. He was born on August 20, 1971. He graduated from Korea University with a degree in Computer Science and completed an MBA program at Aalto University School of Business in Finland. He joined Daewoo Information Systems and later worked at Sony Korea, before serving as Deputy Head of Corporate Finance Management at HSBC. He joined Doosan and worked as Head of Finance Management in the holding company division and Head of the Global Finance Center in the Electronics BG business unit. He served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Doosan Solus (now Solus Advanced Materials) and was appointed CEO of Solus Advanced Materials’ European integrated corporation. In 2024, he was appointed CEO of Solus Advanced Materials. He is a finance and strategy expert. He continued to earn the trust of the new largest shareholder that replaced Doosan and was selected as CEO after serving as head of the European corporation. #SolusAdvancedMaterials #KwakKeunman #CEO #batterycopperfoil #secondarybattery #financeexpert #corporatestrategy #Doosan #HSBC #Europeanbusiness
- Chairman and CEO of Kiturami Holdings
  Choi Jin-min
  
  Choi Jin-min is Chairman and CEO of Kiturami Holdings. He has set a goal of reaching total revenue of KRW 3.0 trillion (US$ 2.2 billion) by 2030 by expanding high-value-added businesses. He was born on October 25, 1941, in Cheongdo County, North Gyeongsang Province. He graduated from Daegu Technical High School and Chunggu College, now Yeungnam University. In 1962, he founded Shin Saeng Boiler, now Kiturami Boiler. He also served as Chairman of Kiturami Group, Chairman and CEO of Taegu Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), and Chairman of SBS International. Ahead of the referendum on free school meals, public opinion worsened as calls to pressure people to vote and his “red communist” remark led even to a boycott movement, and he stepped down from the front line of management in 2011. In 2023, he returned as Chairman and CEO of Kiturami Holdings. Through mergers and acquisitions (M&A), he continuously expanded the group’s business scope and led its rise into a “comprehensive heating and cooling energy company.” #Kiturami #ChoiJinmin #KituramiHoldings #boiler #energy #HVAC #M&A #KoreaBusiness #heatingandcooling #corporateprofile
- CEO of Hancom Inc.
  Kim Yeon-su
  
  Kim Yeon-su is CEO of Hancom Inc. and also serves as CEO of the Growth Strategy Division at the Hancom Group. He is pushing to transform the company from an electronic document-focused business into a cloud SaaS (Software as a Service) and AI company, with the goal of becoming a global big tech player. He was born on March 23, 1983, as the eldest daughter among the one son and two daughters of Hancom Chairman Kim Sang-cheol. He graduated from Boston University in the United States with a degree in business administration, completed an MBA course at Babson College’s graduate school of business, and earned a master’s degree in finance from the graduate school of Boston College in the United States. After working at semiconductor manufacturer WIZIT and Softforum, now HancomWITH, he joined Hancom Inc. in 2012 as a director. He served as head of overseas business, head of the Hancom Group’s Strategy Planning Office, and head of the Growth Strategy Division. Since 2021, he has served as co-CEO of Hangeul and Computer Group’s Future Strategy Division together with Byun Sung-joon, who oversees operations. He is accelerating efforts to reshape the company into an AI-centered technology business. #Hancom #KimYeonsu #HangeulandComputer #SaaS #ArtificialIntelligence #CloudComputing #KoreanTech #DigitalTransformation #SoftwareIndustry #TechLeadership
  NEWS
  - • Hancom Accelerates AI Monetization, Kim Yeon-su Sets Sights on First KRW 200 Billion Software Milestone
  - • Hancom Kicks Off AI Solution Monetization, Kim Yeon-su Bets on Korean AI in Japan and Europe
- CEO of Meritz Securities
  Kim Jong-min
  
  Kim Jong-min is CEO of Meritz Securities and President of the Group Investment Division at Meritz Financial Group. He leads Meritz Securities under a co-CEO system with Jang Won-jae, who is in charge of S&T and retail, while Kim oversees the corporate finance and management divisions. He is also speeding up the company’s business expansion into the debt capital market and the equity capital market. He was born on February 13, 1972. He graduated from Sogang University with a degree in economics and completed the graduate program at Sogang University’s business school. He joined Samsung Securities and worked as head of the FICC Products Team. He later moved to Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance, where he served as head of the Asset Management Office and was promoted to vice president of Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance. He also concurrently served as head of the Group Investment Division at Meritz Financial Group. After being promoted to president, he was appointed CEO of Meritz Securities in 2024. Having returned to the securities industry, he is producing results in diversifying the company’s business portfolio. #KimJongmin #MeritzSecurities #MeritzFinancialGroup #InvestmentBanking #CorporateFinance #DebtCapitalMarket #EquityCapitalMarket #FICC #AssetManagement #KoreaFinance
- President and CEO of Dongsuh
  Yoon Se-cheol
  
  Yoon Se-cheol is President and CEO of Dongsuh. He serves as co-CEO alongside Vice President Kim Jong-hee, a third-generation owner, and together they lead Dongsuh, the holding company of Dongsuh Foods. He was born on April 16, 1957. He graduated from Korea University with a degree in food engineering and completed an MBA course at the Helsinki School of Economics. He served as managing director of Dongsuh’s materials business division. He also worked as managing director of the management support division and executive vice president in charge of the management support division, and later served as senior vice president in charge of the management support division and senior vice president in charge of the purchasing, exports, and manufacturing divisions. In March 2025, he was promoted to president of Dongsuh and appointed CEO. During the transition to the era of third-generation owner management, he is focusing on solid internal management of the company while managing risks. The original text is clear overall. However, “헬싱키대학교 경영대학원” may refer to the Helsinki School of Economics or a business school affiliated with the University of Helsinki, so the exact English institutional name may need to be checked against the official school name. #Dongsuh #YoonSecheol #DongsuhFoods #KoreanBusiness #CEOProfile #FoodIndustry #CorporateLeadership #ManagementStrategy #KoreaUniversity #BusinessExecutive
- Chairman of Binggrae
  Kim Ho-youn
  
  Kim Ho-youn is the Chairman of Binggrae. After inheriting Binggrae when it was in a state of capital impairment, he separated it from the group and, through rigorous restructuring, grew it into one of Korea’s leading dairy and food companies. He is accelerating the process of third-generation management succession. He was born on April 29, 1955, as the second son of Kim Chong-hee, the founder of Hanwha Group. He is the younger brother of Kim Seung-youn, Chairman of Hanwha Group. He graduated from Kyunggi High School and the Department of Trade at Sogang University. He earned a master’s degree in economics from the graduate school of Hitotsubashi University in Japan and a master’s degree in diplomacy and national security from the Graduate School of Public Administration at Yonsei University. He also received a doctorate in business administration from Sogang University. After being appointed as a director at Korea Explosives (now Hanwha), he served as managing director of Hanyang Distribution and was appointed president of Hanyang Distribution in 1986. He became Chairman and CEO of Binggrae and led its independence from Hanwha Group. He later stepped down from the CEO position as he entered politics. He ran in a by-election for a National Assembly seat in Cheonan under the Grand National Party and was elected. He later ran for re-election but was defeated. He returned to the front lines of management as Chairman of Binggrae. He is the grandson-in-law of Kim Gu. #Binggrae #KimHoyoun #HanwhaGroup #KoreanBusiness #DairyIndustry #CorporateRestructuring #FamilyBusiness #KoreaPolitics #CEOLeadership #SuccessionStrategy
- Chairman and CEO of EO Technics
  Sung Kyu-dong
  
  Sung Kyu-dong is the Chairman and CEO of EO Technics. He was born on September 20, 1957, in Busan. He graduated from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Seoul National University and earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the same university’s graduate school. He joined the Central Research Institute of GoldStar and later worked at the Technology Research Institute of Daewoo Heavy Industries and at Korea Laser. In 1989, he founded EO Technics, a laser specialist company, and advanced its business into the semiconductor back-end equipment sector. He has such strong pride in his technological capabilities that the company is called “a company that does not buy meals even when meeting Samsung” and a “super subcontractor.” Although it has outstanding technological capabilities, it is evaluated as lacking commitment to ESG and improvements in management systems. #EOtechnics #semiconductor #lasertechnology #SungKyuDong #KoreanCEO #semiconductorequipment #techleadership #manufacturing #ESG #corporategovernance
- CEO of Korea Electric Power Industry Development
  Ham Heung-gyu
  
  Ham Heung-gyu is the CEO of Korea Electric Power Industry Development. He is pushing to accelerate a shift in the company’s business structure toward future energy businesses such as renewable energy, while also expanding its existing power plant operation and management (O&M) business. He was born on January 10, 1960. He graduated from Kyung Hee University with a degree in law and received a master’s degree in public law from the graduate school’s department of law at Kyung Hee University. He joined the National Intelligence Service and worked there for nearly 30 years, serving in positions including inspector general and director of intelligence. He later served as an editorial writer for Tongil Sinmun and then became chairman of the Korea Social Education Promotion Institute. In Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidential campaign, he served as head of the National Intelligence Service division under the National Security Council (NSC) special committee, and after Yoon Suk Yeol was elected president, he worked as a specialist member of the presidential transition committee. In August 2023, he was appointed CEO of Korea Electric Power Industry Development. As a security and organizational management expert from the National Intelligence Service, he became head of a company in the energy sector and was swept up in controversy over a parachute appointment. The Korean original appears clear overall. One point to note is that “통일신문” was rendered as Tongil Sinmun because no official English publication name was provided in the source text. #HamHeung-gyu #KEPCOIndustrialDevelopment #energy #renewableenergy #powerplant #OM #NationalIntelligenceService #corporategovernance #SouthKorea #CEOprofile
- Chair of the Board of Socar
  Lee Jae-woong
  
  Lee Jae-woong is the chair of the board and COO of Socar. He returned to frontline management after six years and is putting weight behind strengthening the competitiveness of the car-sharing service and organizational innovation. He also appears likely to focus on new businesses, including building a new mobility ecosystem that combines data and AI along with autonomous driving. He was born in Incheon on October 22, 1968. He graduated from Seoul Yeongdong High School and Yonsei University’s Department of Computer Science, and earned a master’s degree in computer science from Yonsei University Graduate School. He completed the doctoral program in cognitive processes at Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris. He founded Daum Communications at the age of 26. He introduced Hanmail.net, the country’s first free email service, and launched the online cafe community Daum Cafe, building Daum Communications into a portal service company. After losing the No. 1 portal position to Naver and facing a crisis caused by weak subsidiaries, he stepped down as CEO 12 years after founding the company. After that, he focused on investing in startups in the sharing economy and media sectors. He founded Sopoong, a social venture incubating investment firm, and served as the managing partner of venture capital limited company SOQRI. In 2018, he became CEO of Socar and led innovation in the domestic mobility industry by launching the ride-hailing service Tada. After the so-called “Tada ban law” passed the National Assembly, he stepped away from frontline management. In 2026, he returned as chair of the board and COO of Socar. He is a leading first-generation venture entrepreneur and at one time ranked No. 1 among venture tycoons. He is close to Naver board chair Lee Hae-jin. #Socar #LeeJaewoong #KoreanStartup #DaumCommunications #Hanmail #DaumCafe #Tada #Mobility #CarSharing #AIMobility
- President and CEO of Dong-A ST
  Jeong Jae-hoon
  
  Jeong Jae-hoon is President and CEO of Dong-A ST. He was brought in as a relief pitcher to improve stagnant performance. He was born on November 3, 1971. He received a master's degree in health social pharmacy from Sungkyunkwan University Graduate School of Clinical Pharmacy. He joined Dong-A Pharmaceutical and, after serving as head of the Operations Planning Team, worked as head of the Executive Secretary Office. He later moved to Dong-A Socio Holdings, where he served as head of the Ethics Management Office, and was appointed Vice President and CEO of Dong-A Socio Holdings in 2021. In 2024, he was appointed President and CEO of Dong-A ST. He is an internally promoted professional manager who was selected as part of efforts to discover young leadership that would drive change. He has strengths in sales strategy. #DongAST #JeongJaehoon #DongASocioHoldings #pharmaceuticals #Koreabio #CEOprofile #salesstrategy #healthsocialpharmacy #executiveleadership #corporatemanagement

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