Life Summary
Tam Chul-gon is Chairman of Orion Group.

He is pursuing a transformation into a global food and healthcare company by focusing on the food business while linking it with new businesses such as biotechnology.

In 2026, he accelerated the group’s third-generation succession process by promoting his eldest son, Tam Seo-won, to Group Executive Vice President.

He was born on June 6, 1955, in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, as the son of a Taiwanese-Chinese family that operated a traditional Korean medicine clinic.

After attending Korea Kent Foreign School in Seoul during middle school, he moved to the United States and studied business administration at George Washington University.

He married Lee Hwa-kyung, Vice Chairman of Orion Group and the second daughter of Lee Yang-gu, the founder of Tongyang Group.

He began his career as a manager in the materials department of Tongyang Cement, a Tongyang Group affiliate. After moving to Tongyang Confectionery, he was promoted through the ranks of executive director, senior executive vice president, and executive vice president.

Following the death of founder Lee Yang-gu, he inherited management control and became CEO and President of Tongyang Confectionery in 1989.

After becoming Group Vice Chairman, he separated Tongyang Confectionery from Tongyang Group in 2001, changed the company’s name to Orion, and became Chairman and CEO.

In 2013, he and his wife Lee Hwa-kyung stepped down from their positions as registered directors, but he has continued to oversee the group’s management as Chairman.

Opinions on him are divided. He is credited with pioneering the Chinese market through a localized strategy, but he is also viewed as a figure whose legal issues and owner-related risks have placed a considerable burden on the company.

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