KOREA WHO

Choi Yeon-Hye("최연혜" in Korean) is the President of Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS). She is currently focused on improving the company’s financial soundness, including resolving the overdue payment issue that surpassed KRW 14 trillion (US\$ 9.7 billion) in the first quarter of 2025.

She was born on April 2, 1956, in Yeongdong, North Chungcheong Province.

Choi graduated from Daejeon Girls' High School and studied German Language and Literature at Seoul National University, where she also earned a master's degree in the same field. She later moved to Germany and received both her master's and doctoral degrees in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim.

She served as an invited research fellow at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET) and was a professor at the Korea National Railroad College. She also chaired the Performance Evaluation Committee at the former Korea National Railroad, the predecessor to KORAIL. Additionally, she worked as an advisor in the Second Economic Division of the Presidential Transition Committee for President Roh Moo-hyun.

Choi held various leadership positions in the railway sector, including Chair of the Fare and Rate Policy Deliberation Committee and Deputy Director of the Korea National Railroad. She later served as Vice President of KORAIL and eventually became the President of Korea National Railroad College.

She ran as a candidate for the Saenuri Party in Daejeon during the 19th general election but was not elected. After Park Geun-hye became president, Choi was appointed President of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL).

She returned to politics as a proportional representative for the Saenuri Party in the 20th National Assembly, where she served on the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee as well as the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee.

During the 20th presidential election, she led the Special Committee on Nuclear Phase-Out Policy for Yoon Suk-yeol’s campaign. After Yoon was elected, she was appointed President of Korea Gas Corporation in 2022.

Choi made history as the first woman to head both Korea Railroad Corporation and Korea Gas Corporation.

During her time as President of KORAIL, she took a firm stance against railway union strikes, earning her the nickname “Iron Lady.”

Known for her meticulous nature, she is recognized for closely examining even the smallest details.

#ChoiYeonHye #KoreaGasCorporation #KOGAS #KORAIL #IronLady #YoonSukYeol #SouthKoreaPolitics #EnergyPolicy #PublicEnterprises #Leadership