Late Shin Chunho, Former Chairman of Nongshim Group, Inducted into Korea Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

Uncompromising Philosophy of Quality and Pragmatism
Shin Dongwon: "The Foundation for the Globalization of K-Food"

The late Shin Chunho, former chairman of Nongshim Group, has been inducted into the "Korea Entrepreneur Hall of Fame."

According to Nongshim on the 16th, the Korean Academic Society of Business Administration held an induction ceremony for the "Korea Entrepreneur Hall of Fame" at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul the previous day, and inducted former chairman Shin into the Hall of Fame in the entrepreneur category.

Shin Dongwon, chairman of Nongshim Group, is holding a commemorative plaque for his induction into the Hall of Fame. Photo by Nongshim

Former chairman Shin is recognized as a creative leader who enriched people's lives through food and expanded the Korean food industry onto the global stage. He personally led the development, brand naming, and packaging design of Nongshim's long-running hit products such as Shin Ramyun and Saewookkang.

The flagship product, Shin Ramyun, has maintained its position as the No. 1 instant noodle in the Korean market since 1991, following its launch in 1986, and has grown into a leading global K-food brand exported to over 100 countries. Guided by the philosophy that "the taste of Korea is the taste of the world," he boldly entered overseas markets with Nongshim's signature spicy flavor, rather than opting for localization.

Saewookkang, regarded as the origin of the Korean snack market, was also created by his hands. At a time when the concept of snacks was unfamiliar, he conceived Saewookkang based on his own ideas, and the story of how he came up with the name?after his young daughter pronounced "Arirang" as "Arikang"?is still widely shared today.

Shin's 60-year business career is summed up by his "single well management" philosophy, focusing on the two pillars of instant noodles and snacks. His uncompromising commitment to quality and pragmatism continues to shape Nongshim's corporate culture today.

Yang Heedong, president of the Korean Academic Society of Business Administration, explained the induction by stating, "As a representative entrepreneur of Korea, former chairman Shin achieved outstanding business performance and accomplishments, and through his successful management for future industrial innovation and economic growth, he made significant contributions to the remarkable development of the Korean economy."

At the induction ceremony, Shin Dongwon, chairman of Nongshim Group, said, "The late chairman led the advancement of Korea's food industry and laid the foundation for the globalization of K-food. We will strive to carry on his spirit of challenge and creativity, contribute to the development of the domestic food industry, and take the lead in shaping global food culture."

The Korean Academic Society of Business Administration, established in 1956 as Korea's first business administration society, has been selecting entrepreneurs who have made significant contributions to Korea's economic development and inducting them into the Hall of Fame since 2016.