Cho Hyun-joon "Striving for Korea-Japan Business Exchange and Cooperation"

Trade Association Special Committee
Appointed as Inaugural Chairman
Started Career at Mitsubishi Shoji
Fluent in Japanese Like a Local

Cho Hyun-joon, Chairman of the Hyosung Group, has recently been appointed as the inaugural chairman of the Korea-Japan Exchange Special Committee under the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), raising expectations within the business community. As KITA became the first economic organization to establish a related body, it has created an official channel for Korea-Japan exchanges, with Chairman Cho taking on the responsibility.

At the "Korea-Japan Exchange Special Committee Inaugural Ceremony and 1st Meeting" held on the 7th at the Grand Intercontinental Hotel in Samseong-dong, Cho Hyun-joon, Chairman of the Hyosung Group, is speaking. Photo by Korea International Trade Association

At the special committee launch ceremony on the 7th, Chairman Cho stated, "Korea-Japan relations are shifting in a future-oriented direction," adding, "I feel a heavy responsibility at this important moment. I will strive to promote active exchanges and foster friendly cooperation between companies of both countries."

Chairman Cho is well known as a ‘Japan expert’ with extensive connections in the Japanese business community. He also played a leading role in achieving results such as strengthening cooperation in nurturing startups between the Korea Economic Organization Association and Japan’s Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) at the 30th Korea-Japan Business Meeting held in Tokyo last month on the 11th. A business insider commented, "Chairman Cho, who has always shown great interest in Japan, seems to have a strong will recently to serve as a bridge between Korea and Japan."

Having been interested in Japan since his youth, he began his career at Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan from 1992 to 1993. In 1996, he earned a master's degree in political science from Keio University Graduate School in Japan, further deepening his ties with the country. It is said that his Japanese language skills are nearly native-level fluent. His interest in Japan appears to have been influenced by his father, Cho Seok-rae, Honorary Chairman of Hyosung Group. Chairman Cho Seok-rae earned a bachelor's degree and an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Engineering at Waseda University in Japan in 1959 and 2005, respectively, and led Hyosung Group while also serving as head of economic organizations, playing a key role in Korea-Japan economic cooperation.

The special committee led by Chairman Cho includes representatives from 15 companies, such as Lee Woo-hyun, Chairman of OCI Holdings, Kim Nam-jung, Vice Chairman of Dongwon Group, and Lee Seung-hyun, CEO of Infac Korea. The committee will maintain ongoing communication and cooperation with the ‘Korea-Japan Exchange Committee’ under the Japan Economic Friendship Association and will also serve as a platform for exchanges between Korean and Japanese companies.

Ku Ja-yeol, Chairman of KITA, emphasized, "Japan is both a competitor and a partner with whom we can create greater synergy in the industrial sector," adding, "The Korea-Japan Exchange Special Committee will act as a bridge connecting companies from both countries."