Seung Youn Kim is Chairman of the Hanwha Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Korea today. Mr. Kim has held the post for 30 years, and he performs dual roles as the owner and the chief executive.
The period of Mr. Kim’s chairmanship coincides with what many regard as the “rebirth” of the Hanwha Group. Under his leadership, the group has grown into a vast, diversified network of companies spanning manufacturing, finance, and services.
Mr. Kim is widely regarded as Korea’s premier industrialist and business innovator. He is Vice Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, Korea Employer’s Federation, and Korea Management Association.
Mr. Kim is deeply involved in philanthropy. He donates to numerous charitable causes including the campaign to give nutritional supplements to North Korean children. He also supports one of the largest classical concert series in Korea. Due to his strong faith in the importance of education, he established a girls’ high school in Korea’s central province of Chungcheong.
Mr. Kim is an active participant in civic diplomacy. A steadfast supporter of the United Nations, Mr. Kim serves as President of the United Nations Association of Korea. He has also been a life-long supporter of sports and now serves as Honorary President of the General Association of the Asian Sports Federation.
Mr. Kim holds a Master of Arts degree in International Political Science from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. He also received an Honorary Doctor’s Degree from Sogang University. He is married and has three sons.
