Hynix appoints former Korea gov't official to chairman, CEO

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- Electronic News, 3/30/2007

Seoul, Korea-based DRAM giant Hynix Semiconductor Inc.’s board of directors has appointed Dr. Jong-Kap Kim as the company’s new chairman and CEO.

In a statement from the company, Kim said he plans to focus the company’s resources on four core management strategies: knowledge management, customer satisfaction management, ethical management, and environmental management.

Kim served various leading roles in the Korean government for 31 years, including Commissioner of The Korean Intellectual Property Office and Vice Minister of Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy. He said he maintained a close relationship with semiconductor industry throughout his government career.

Hynix appointed Kim as a candidate for executive director on March 8 at the directors’ meeting, and approved the decision to name him as chairman and CEO at its annual general shareholders’ meeting and directors’ meeting Thursday.

He holds a master’s degree in international business from New York University, a master’s degree and doctoral candidate in economics at Indiana University. He also won a doctoral degree in public administration from Sung Kyun Kwan University in Korea, the company added.