CSO Kim Gun-ho

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South Korea’s plastics material and resin manufacturing company Samyang Group announced that it has conducted its regular executive appointments and organizational restructuring on Monday, the first such changes since its centennial celebration.

Samyang said that it will split its Chemical Group into Chemical Group 1 and Chemical Group 2 as part of the latest restructuring. Chemical Group 1 will oversee traditional chemical material businesses, including Samyang, Samyang Innochem Corp., Samyang Kasei Co., Samyang Fine Technology Corp., and Samnam Petrochemical Co. Chemical Group 2 will consolidate its specialty chemical operations such as chip photoresist producer Samyang NC Chem Corp., personal care material company KCI, and Verdant Specialty Solutions.

Kim Gun-ho, a fourth-generation member of the Samyang family and the current chief strategy officer (CSO) of Samyang Holdings Corp., will oversee the newly established Chemical Group 2 as well. With this additional responsibility, Kim’s role within the group is expanding to include core specialty businesses, alongside strategy and finance for the holding company.

The latest move signals accelerated fourth-generation management in the 100-year-old Samyang Group. Kim is currently the only fourth-generation family member actively involved in group management. Samyang operates under a four-cousin management system, led by third-generation members including Samyang Holdings Chairman Kim Yoon; Samyang Corp. Vice Chairmen Kim Ryang and Kim Won; and Samyang Packaging Corp. Vice Chairman Kim Jung. Samyang Group also appointed Kim Kyung-jin, former chief executive officer of ST Pharm Co., as the new head of Samyang Holdings Biopharm Group.

Kim will be tasked with expanding the group’s presence in the global market and strengthening its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) capabilities. Three of the six newly appointed executives, excluding external hires, are in their 40s.

“We have broken away from traditional seniority-based promotions, focusing instead on performance and selecting individuals with differentiated expertise and leadership,” Samyang Group said.