Samyang Foods said on the 15th that it has appointed Vice Chairman Kim Jung-soo as chairman.
Samyang Foods held a board meeting on the 12th and resolved to promote Kim to chairman. The inauguration date is on the 1st of next month. Kim's promotion comes about five years after being promoted from chief operating officer to vice chairman in Dec. 2021.
Samyang Foods said the promotion is a decision to strengthen leadership and responsible management in response to growth in its global business. Samyang Foods derives 80% of its sales from overseas. As its business portfolio and management scope have expanded, the need has grown for integrated leadership that spans the global market.
Samyang Foods plans to expand its business base this year to strengthen strategies by region and country. In addition to the Jiaxing plant in China now under construction, it is reviewing the establishment of additional regional liaison offices and other entities.
Sales, which were 642 billion won in 2021 when Kim took office as vice chairman, rose to 2.3517 trillion won in 2025, and the operating margin increased from 10% to 22%.
In particular, results in overseas markets stood out. Samyang Foods' first-quarter sales in Europe this year were 77 billion won, up 215% from a year earlier. Steady growth also continued in the United States and China, its key export markets. First-quarter sales at the U.S. subsidiary were 185 billion won, up 37% from the same period a year earlier. During the same period, sales at the China subsidiary also rose 36% to 171 billion won.
Samyang Foods also said Kim has served as chair of the ESG Committee since 2021, pushing improvements across environment, society, and governance and working to build a sustainable management system, while actively taking part in private-sector economic diplomacy for the export economy and the development of Korea's food industry.
A Samyang Foods official said, "The promotion of Vice Chairman Kim Jung-soo is part of strengthening responsible management to expand the global market and enhance corporate value," adding, "Starting in June, under Chairman Kim Jung-soo's leadership, we will focus the company's capabilities on further solidifying our global business competitiveness and the foundation for sustainable growth."