KOREA WHO
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Chairman of Hanwha Group
Kim Seung-yeon
Elder Statesman of Korean Business Focuses on Building Legacy for Three Sons
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Last Updated on Jul 4, 2025
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Chairman of Hanwha Group
Life Summary
Kim Seung-yeon is the chairman of Hanwha Group.
He is currently in the process of transferring management control to his three sons, with his eldest son, Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, at the center of the succession plan.
By acquiring Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (now Hanwha Ocean), he has taken a significant step toward his dream of transforming Hanwha Group into "Korea’s Lockheed Martin."
He was born on February 7, 1952, in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, as the eldest son among two sons and one daughter of Kim Chong-hee, the founder of Hanwha Group.
After attending Kyunggi High School in Seoul, he graduated from Shattuck-St. Mary’s School and Menlo College in the United States with a degree in business administration. He later earned a master’s degree in international politics from DePaul University Graduate School.
In 1981, following the death of his father, he became chairman at the young age of 29.
After being convicted on charges including breach of trust, he stepped down from all CEO positions across Hanwha affiliates while retaining his role as group chairman.
In 2021, he made an official return to management for the first time in seven years by becoming a non-registered executive at Hanwha, Hanwha Solutions, and Hanwha Construction.
He has also served as vice president of the Korean Olympic Committee, chairman of the Korea Amateur Boxing Federation, chairman of Kyunghyang Shinmun, and board chairman of Sungkonghoe University.
He emphasizes trust as the core of his business philosophy and has cultivated a unique organizational culture that values loyalty.
#Hanwha #KimSeungyeon #defenseindustry #HanwhaOcean #succession #aerospace #LockheedMartinKorea #businessphilosophy #KoreaOlympics #loyaltyculture
He is currently in the process of transferring management control to his three sons, with his eldest son, Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, at the center of the succession plan.
By acquiring Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (now Hanwha Ocean), he has taken a significant step toward his dream of transforming Hanwha Group into "Korea’s Lockheed Martin."
He was born on February 7, 1952, in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, as the eldest son among two sons and one daughter of Kim Chong-hee, the founder of Hanwha Group.
After attending Kyunggi High School in Seoul, he graduated from Shattuck-St. Mary’s School and Menlo College in the United States with a degree in business administration. He later earned a master’s degree in international politics from DePaul University Graduate School.
In 1981, following the death of his father, he became chairman at the young age of 29.
After being convicted on charges including breach of trust, he stepped down from all CEO positions across Hanwha affiliates while retaining his role as group chairman.
In 2021, he made an official return to management for the first time in seven years by becoming a non-registered executive at Hanwha, Hanwha Solutions, and Hanwha Construction.
He has also served as vice president of the Korean Olympic Committee, chairman of the Korea Amateur Boxing Federation, chairman of Kyunghyang Shinmun, and board chairman of Sungkonghoe University.
He emphasizes trust as the core of his business philosophy and has cultivated a unique organizational culture that values loyalty.
#Hanwha #KimSeungyeon #defenseindustry #HanwhaOcean #succession #aerospace #LockheedMartinKorea #businessphilosophy #KoreaOlympics #loyaltyculture