• Chairman of Poongsan Group and the Korea Economic Association
    Ryu Jin

    Bridge for Korea-U.S. Economic Ties, Riding K-Defense Boom

    Last Updated on Dec 6, 2025

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Life Summary
Ryu Jin is the CEO of Poongsan and Chairman of the Poongsan Group.

He also serves as Chairman of the Korea Economic Association (Hankyung-hyeop).

He is focusing on expanding the group’s core businesses—copper processing and ammunition manufacturing—into overseas markets.

Ryu was born on March 5, 1958, in Hahoe Village, Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, as the youngest son of Ryu Chan-woo, the founder of Poongsan.

He graduated from American High School in Japan, earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Seoul National University, and completed an MBA program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in the United States.

After joining Poongsan Metal Industrial Co., founded by his father, he was appointed CEO in 1996 and promoted to Chairman in 2000.

Over the past 25 years, Ryu has led the Poongsan Group to stable growth, achieving KRW 4 trillion (US$ 2.9 billion) in sales in 2021.

He completed the transition of the group into a holding company structure and oversaw the construction of its new headquarters in Chungjeongno, Seoul.

Ryu has also served as Vice Chairman of the Korea-U.S. Economic Council, Chairman of the Korea Non-Ferrous Metals Association, Vice Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), Vice Chairman of the Korea Defense Industry Association, Vice Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association, Vice Chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Association, Chairman of the International Wrought Copper Council (IWCC), and Vice Chairman of the Korea Mecenat Association.

As Chairman of Hankyung-hyeop, he represents the Korean business community and plays a key role in strengthening Korea-U.S. economic cooperation through his extensive network in the United States.

He is known in both political and business circles as a “connector” with broad relationships built through his family’s longstanding networks.

Ryu is regarded as modest and practical, often traveling abroad alone for business trips. His courteous demeanor has earned him the nickname “the gentleman of the business world.”

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