KOREA WHO
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Chairman of Heesung Group
Koo Bon-neung
First LG Family Split, Shift From Displays to Catalysts
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Last Updated on May 8, 2026
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Chairman of Heesung Group
Life Summary
Koo Bon-neung is the chairman of Heesung Group.
Among members of the LG family, he was the first to become independent and led Heesung Group.
As sales at its main business, Heesung Electronics, have plunged, he is showing moves to reorganize the overall business through another pillar, Heesung Catalysts.
He was born on March 26, 1949, in Busan as the second son among the four sons and two daughters of Koo Cha-kyung, former honorary chairman of LG Group.
He graduated from Kyungnam Middle School and Kyungnam High School, and earned a degree in business administration from Korea University.
He joined Lucky-Goldstar International, now LX International, and worked as head of the U.S. Chicago office and head of the overseas management division. After moving to GoldStar Telecommunications, now LG Electronics, as head of the export division, he was promoted to director at GoldStar Telecommunications and GoldStar Alps, now LG Innotek.
He served as auditor at Heesung Metal Industry, now LT Metal, and vice president of Sangnong Enterprise, now Heesung Electronics, before working as a director at Heesung Metal and Korea Engelhard, now Heesung Catalysts.
He became vice chairman of Heesung Metal, which had been separated from an LG Group affiliate, and in 1996 launched Heesung Group and became its chairman.
Legal risks emerged, including a criminal complaint related to the LG Group inheritance dispute, but he was cleared of major charges, significantly easing his legal burden.
From 2011 to 2017, he served as commissioner of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
He is the biological father of Koo Kwang-mo, chairman of LG Group.
#KooBon-neung #HeesungGroup #LGGroup #KooKwang-mo #HeesungElectronics #HeesungCatalysts #LTMetal #LXInternational #KBO #KoreanBusiness
Among members of the LG family, he was the first to become independent and led Heesung Group.
As sales at its main business, Heesung Electronics, have plunged, he is showing moves to reorganize the overall business through another pillar, Heesung Catalysts.
He was born on March 26, 1949, in Busan as the second son among the four sons and two daughters of Koo Cha-kyung, former honorary chairman of LG Group.
He graduated from Kyungnam Middle School and Kyungnam High School, and earned a degree in business administration from Korea University.
He joined Lucky-Goldstar International, now LX International, and worked as head of the U.S. Chicago office and head of the overseas management division. After moving to GoldStar Telecommunications, now LG Electronics, as head of the export division, he was promoted to director at GoldStar Telecommunications and GoldStar Alps, now LG Innotek.
He served as auditor at Heesung Metal Industry, now LT Metal, and vice president of Sangnong Enterprise, now Heesung Electronics, before working as a director at Heesung Metal and Korea Engelhard, now Heesung Catalysts.
He became vice chairman of Heesung Metal, which had been separated from an LG Group affiliate, and in 1996 launched Heesung Group and became its chairman.
Legal risks emerged, including a criminal complaint related to the LG Group inheritance dispute, but he was cleared of major charges, significantly easing his legal burden.
From 2011 to 2017, he served as commissioner of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
He is the biological father of Koo Kwang-mo, chairman of LG Group.
#KooBon-neung #HeesungGroup #LGGroup #KooKwang-mo #HeesungElectronics #HeesungCatalysts #LTMetal #LXInternational #KBO #KoreanBusiness