'Strategist' Ko Jun, CEO of AK Plaza, Returns as CEO of AK Holdings

Aekyung Group, 2025 Regular Executive Appointments
Lee Kang-yong, Head of Product Division, Appointed CEO of AK Plaza

Aekyung Group announced on the 18th that Ko Jun, CEO of AK Plaza, has been appointed as the new CEO of AK Holdings through the 2025 executive personnel reshuffle.

Lee Kang-yong, Head of Merchandise Division at AK Plaza, was newly appointed as CEO of AK Plaza. In total, 11 personnel changes were made, including 1 promotion to Vice President, 1 promotion to Executive Director, 3 promotions to Managing Director, and 6 new appointments to Deputy Managing Director.

Ko Jun, CEO of AK Holdings. Provided by Aekyung Group

The appointment date for the CEOs is December 1, and the appointment and promotion date for executives is January 1, 2025.

The new CEO of AK Holdings, Ko Jun, graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in Chemical Engineering. After working at a global consulting firm, he joined Aekyung in 2018. Since then, he has been in charge of strategic planning at the holding company AK Holdings. According to Aekyung Group, he is regarded as a "strategy expert" within the company. In January 2022, he moved to AK Plaza as CEO during a difficult period caused by the pandemic, leading changes such as attempting to change the MD concept of the AK Plaza Hongdae branch, laying the groundwork for overcoming AK Plaza's recent crisis.

The new CEO of AK Plaza, Lee Kang-yong, graduated from Inha University with a degree in Materials Science and Engineering. He joined AK Plaza (formerly Aekyung Department Store) as a new employee in 1997. Starting as a buyer, he grew through roles such as branch manager of Wonju and Bundang stores and head of the merchandise division. Based on his extensive field experience and expertise, Aekyung Group explains that he is considered the right person to enhance AK Plaza's competitiveness.

Lee Kang-yong, CEO of AK Plaza. Photo by Aekyung Group

Aekyung Group stated, "In accordance with the responsible management system of each affiliate, we have appointed capable leaders who can proactively prepare strategies for the future and strongly promote them, thereby increasing agility to respond to uncertain changes in the business environment as well as mid- to long-term execution capabilities."

Below are the key personnel changes at Aekyung Group.

▲ AK Holdings CEO Ko Jun ▲ AK Plaza CEO Lee Kang-yong

▲ AK Holdings Ko Jun

▲ Aekyung Chemical Kim Seong-wan

▲ AK Plaza Lee Kang-yong ▲ Aekyung Industrial Lee Shin-young ▲ Aekyung Asset Management Kim Young-geun

▲ Aekyung Industrial Park Jin-woo ▲ Jeju Air Im Byung-hyun ▲ Jeju Air Park Man-ho ▲ Aekyung Chemical Kim Bo-hyun ▲ AK Plaza Yoo Sang-baek ▲ AK Plaza Oh Se-hoon