This article was published on the ChosunBiz MoneyMove (MM) site at 12:10 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2026.
Choi Won-jin, deputy representative of JKL Partners and a former official of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, is leaving the company. Choi, who joined JKL Partners in 2015, served as a key fund operator and was involved in numerous portfolios including LS MnM and Lotte Non-Life Insurance.
On the 23rd, people in the investment banking industry said Choi recently informed JKL Partners' management of his intention to resign. The reasons for his departure and his future plans have not been disclosed. Choi led the acquisition of semiconductor process consumables maker Rion at the end of last year and until recently had been handling the sale of Lotte Non-Life Insurance.
Choi was a key operator of JKL Partners' sixth blind fund, a 970 billion won fund raised last year. JKL Partners plans to replace Choi's vacancy with another operator. A JKL Partners official said the company plans to proceed with changing to another key operating personnel with at least equivalent work experience and ability.
Because key operators are involved in the entire process from fund formation to deal sourcing, investment execution, portfolio management and exit, the departure of an operator directly affects operational continuity and limited partners' trust. If an operator leaves before a fund's maturity, existing limited partners may express concern or raise issues with the management company.
Choi was born in 1973, graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in economics and passed the 43rd civil service exam in 1999. From 2001 to 2007 he served as a deputy director in the Financial Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Finance and Economy, contributing to creating the legal requirements that form the basis of the current private equity fund (PEF) system, and has deep ties to the PEF industry.
In 2010 he passed the New York State bar exam and obtained a U.S. attorney license. He then served as an international finance secretary at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, an adviser to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and rose to head of the Ministry of Economy and Finance's Economic Policy Bureau.
Choi left public service in 2015 and joined JKL Partners as an executive director. He led the acquisition of Lotte Non-Life Insurance in 2019, and was promoted to deputy representative in recognition of his achievement in securing the investment in LS MnM in 2023.