John Lee, Google Korea CEO, Leaves Korea... Moves to Singapore

John Lee, CEO of Google Korea, appeared at the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit of the Korea Communications Commission on October 4 last year, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] John Lee, President of Google Korea, is leaving Korea.

According to Google Korea on the 24th, John Lee, who has overseen Google's operations in Korea for six years, will step down as President of Google Korea as early as the beginning of next year.

He is expected to move to Google's Singapore office and oversee Google Asia Pacific (APAC) product sales.

John Lee will continue to manage Korea operations until a successor for the President of Google Korea is appointed.

John Lee has served as the Country Director representing Google Korea since 2014.

From 2005 to 2010, he also served as CEO of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, which was later found to have manufactured and sold toxic humidifier disinfectants.

The prosecution identified him as one of the "roots and sources" of the humidifier disinfectant disaster and sought a 10-year prison sentence, but the court acquitted him, ruling that the crime was not proven.

He appeared as a witness for three consecutive years from 2017 at the National Assembly's audit, where he was criticized for responding vaguely about Korean sales and tax payments, saying he "did not know well."

John Lee is a Korean-American who earned a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Carleton College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.