[Leaders on the Green]③ Jung Sukcheon, CEO of Seowon Valley: "We Will Become an Industry Leader"

Expert in Golf Course Operations, Strategic Marketing, and Executive Management
Charity Green Concert and Multicultural Family Weddings: Social Contribution in Action
Successful Hosting of Professional and Amateur Tournaments, Both Domestic and International
"Top Course, Top Food, Top Service"

There is a person who has worked at a single golf course for nearly 30 years. That person is Jung Sukcheon, CEO of Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. In an interview with Asia Economy on August 28, he said, "Time really flies. I only took five or six days off per year. I poured all my youth into this golf course." He continued, "This year, for the first time in 25 years since opening, we introduced shorts rounds. The response from customers has been very positive," emphasizing, "Now, it is necessary to operate in a way that reflects the needs of our customers."

CEO Jung is truly an expert in golf course management. Since the opening of Seowon Valley Country Club in 1999, he has held various positions including game operations, member management, strategic marketing, and executive management. This year, he was promoted to CEO in recognition of his contributions. He said, "Seowon Valley is a place where the system is perfectly established," attributing the club's success to the staff, "Above all, our employees work diligently and voluntarily." He also explained, "A CEO is like the director of a hospital. You have to trust and delegate to specialists in each field."

Jung Sukcheon, CEO of Seowon Valley CC, aims to create the best golf course in the country in every aspect, including the course, food, and service. Paju - Photo by Noh Woo-rae

Seowon Valley Country Club operates an 18-hole membership course and a 27-hole public course. Chairman Choi Deungkyu of Daebo Group has shown exceptional interest and has overseen its growth. Last year, the club invested as much as 5 billion won to completely renovate the course to host the LPGA Tour BMW Championship. CEO Jung expressed his gratitude, saying, "Managing a golf course would not be easy without the chairman's full support. Thanks to his active help, we were able to grow rapidly."

The club is also proactive in social contribution activities. A representative example is the 'Charity Green Concert,' which has been held for 21 consecutive years. The golf course is transformed into a concert venue for top singers, and all proceeds are donated to charity organizations. The accumulated number of attendees has reached 620,000. The club is also committed to community contributions such as joint weddings for multicultural families, nurturing young golf talents, and operating the Daebo Golf Team.

Jung Seokcheon, CEO of Seowon Valley CC, is engaged in various profitable businesses such as weddings, first birthday parties, and formal meetings. Photo by Noh Woo Rae, Paju

The three most important values at Seowon Valley Country Club are course, food, and service. CEO Jung said, "For a golf course, the course itself is the top priority," adding, "We are investing more manpower and equipment to maintain a perfect course even amid abnormal weather conditions." The club was the first in Korea to introduce unmanned lawn mowers, each costing 80 million won. This equipment can complete in half a day the work that would otherwise require eight people working all day. CEO Jung took pride in this, saying, "Course maintenance has become much neater, and customers can now focus solely on their play."

The club also actively utilizes kiosks. Moving forward, it plans to introduce kiosks equipped with facial recognition so that members can go directly to the locker room without passing through the front desk. He said, "This will enable a much more private round," adding, "Thanks to this, many customers want to return for another visit."

His management mindset is also firm. To diversify the club's revenue, it is engaged in various businesses such as weddings, first birthday parties, 60th birthdays, and formal family meetings. Each year, 20 to 30 couples hold their weddings at Seowon Valley. The carts are fitted with advertisements for imported car brands, and the club also receives sponsorships for ice cream and energy drinks. The profits generated in this way are reinvested for the benefit of customers. He said, "A golf course has many spaces that can be utilized. Various businesses create a synergistic effect," expressing his anticipation, "In the future, we may even be able to share profits with our members."

Jung Seokcheon, CEO of Seowon Valley CC, dreams of becoming a leading company representing domestic golf courses. Paju - Photo by No Urae

CEO Jung's goal is to make Seowon Valley a model for golf courses in Korea. He said, "In the past, the CEO was just a figurehead, but times have changed," adding, "Many golf courses are now interested in our investments, turf management, service training, and food. I will do my best to ensure that Seowon Valley becomes the leader representing Korean golf courses."