'Startup Millionaires' Double in 10 Years... Top Stock Billionaire is 'Samsung Lee Jae-yong'

Leaders Index, Comparison of Domestic Stock Tycoons Status
Founders Increased from 5 to 12
Diversification into IT, Bio, Entertainment, Secondary Battery Sectors
Chairman Lee Jae-yong's Stock Value Down 15.4% in One Year

Among the top 50 domestic stock billionaires, the number of 'founder billionaires' (individuals who built their wealth through entrepreneurship) has more than doubled compared to 10 years ago. The top stock billionaire has remained the Samsung family for 10 years, transitioning from the late Lee Kun-hee, former chairman of Samsung, to his son Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics. Additionally, 18 of the top 50 individuals are newly listed compared to 10 years ago.

On the 31st, Leaders Index, a corporate analysis research institute, conducted a comparison of the status of domestic stock billionaires over 10 years (December 20, 2014, vs. December 27, 2024). The survey found that the number of founder billionaires among the top 50 increased from 5 to 12, more than doubling. This survey compared billionaire rankings from 10 years ago, calculating individual stock holdings at the year-end closing price (as of December 27, 2024), and evaluated unlisted company holdings based on net asset value multiplied by the ownership ratio.

The backgrounds of founder billionaires have diversified from being IT-centered 10 years ago to including entertainment, bio, and secondary battery industries. Ten years ago, the five founder billionaires were Lee Joong-geun, chairman of Booyoung Group (7th), the late Kim Jung-ju, founder of Nexon (11th), Kim Beom-joo, chairman of Daum Kakao's board (12th), Park Hyun-joo, chairman of Mirae Asset (21st), and Lee Hae-jin, chairman of Naver's board (22nd), representing IT, finance, and construction sectors.

Currently, the founder billionaires in the top ranks include Park Soon-jae, CEO of Alteogen (8th), Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of HYBE's board (10th), Park Hyun-joo, chairman of Mirae Asset Group (11th), Kim Beom-su, chairman of Kakao's management innovation committee (12th), Jang Byung-gyu, chairman of Krafton’s board (13th), Seo Jung-jin, chairman of Celltrion (18th), Lee Joong-geun, chairman of Booyoung Group (19th), Lee Dong-chae, former chairman of EcoPro Group (20th), Lee Hae-jin, global investment officer of Naver (23rd), Bang Jun-hyuk, chairman of Netmarble's board (24th), Park Jin-young, CEO and producer of JYP Entertainment (40th), and Kim Sang-heon, chairman of DN Group (41st), totaling 12 individuals. Their industries have diversified to include bio, entertainment, and secondary batteries.

Over the past 10 years, 18 new individuals have entered the top 50 stock billionaire list. Among them, 6 are founder billionaires, while the remaining 12 are all inheritance-based billionaires. The billionaire with the highest equity value is Cho Jung-ho, chairman of Meritz Financial Group, with 9.9213 trillion KRW, ranking 2nd overall. Next is Park Soon-jae, CEO of Alteogen, with 3.072 trillion KRW (8th), followed by Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of HYBE, with 2.5211 trillion KRW, and Jang Byung-gyu, chairman of Krafton, with 2.2114 trillion KRW.

The top stock billionaire position has been maintained by the Samsung Group owner family for 10 years. Ten years ago, the late Lee Kun-hee was ranked 1st with 12.0912 trillion KRW, and currently, his son Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, holds the position with 12.1671 trillion KRW. However, the value of Lee’s holdings in Samsung affiliates has significantly declined. At the beginning of the year, Lee Jae-yong’s stock holdings were valued at 14.3755 trillion KRW, but within one year, their value dropped by 15.4% (2.2084 trillion KRW).

Besides Lee Jae-yong, three other members of the Samsung family are also among the top billionaires. They are Hong Ra-hee, former director of the Samsung Museum of Art Leeum (5.4824 trillion KRW, 3rd), and his two daughters, Lee Boo-jin, president of Hotel Shilla (4.9023 trillion KRW, 4th), and Lee Seo-hyun, president of Samsung C&T’s strategic planning division (4.2336 trillion KRW, 6th). Ten years ago, they were outside the top 10 but significantly increased their assets through inheritance.

Leaders Index

Currently, there are a total of 7 female billionaires, all of whom built their wealth through inheritance, similar to the Samsung family. Six of them?Hong Ra-hee, former Leeum director; Lee Boo-jin, president; Lee Seo-hyun, president; Lee Myung-hee, chairwoman of Shinsegae Group; Choi Ki-won, chairman of SK Happiness Foundation; and Kim Young-sik, widow of the late Koo Bon-moo, former chairman of LG?were also in the top 50 stock billionaire list 10 years ago. The inclusion of Koo Yeon-kyung, CEO of LG Welfare Foundation, added one more to the list.

The average age of the top 50 stock billionaires increased by 5.4 years from 55.9 years 10 years ago to 61.3 years this year. Jeong Ki-sun, senior vice chairman of HD Hyundai, is the youngest at 42 years old, while Jeong Mong-gu, honorary chairman of Hyundai Motor Company, is the oldest at 86 years old.

The total equity value of the top 50 stock billionaires increased slightly from 84.1235 trillion KRW to 86.0798 trillion KRW over 10 years, a growth of only 2.3%. This contrasts sharply with the KOSPI and KOSDAQ market values, which grew from 1,311 trillion KRW to 2,319 trillion KRW, a 76.9% increase. The main reasons are the dispersion of holdings during management succession and inheritance processes, as well as the decline in equity values of newly included founder billionaires this year.