Kim Hyung-jong

Kim Hyung-jong is the chief executive of Hyundai Department Store Co., one of South Korea’s largest upmarket department store chains with branches across the Seoul Capital Area and key regional cities such as Busan, Daegu, Cheongju and Ulsan. Kim is a veteran of the company who by 2022 had served for 37 years at the firm. Focusing on expanding the group’s footprint, he launched the colossal 89,000 square metre store The Hyundai Seoul in 2021, transforming the city’s Yeouido neighbourhood into a fashionable district almost overnight while raising the bar in Korea’s highly competitive department store sector.

Before taking the helm in 2020, Kim served as the head of the group’s management improvement team, head of the Mokdong branch, head of product and president of its retail chain Handsome. Under his leadership, the company has continued to rollout new formats and provide global fashion brands with an extensive offline distribution network across South Korea, spanning full-price luxury department stores, premium outlets and the U-plex chain. The Hyundai Seoul created a sensation when it opened, attracting leading brands like Gucci, Prada and Burberry, thanks to its eye-catching yet relaxing interior which features vast indoor waterfalls and garden-filled recreation areas manned by a fleet of robots and high-tech decorative features.