We will carry forward the late founder Lim Sung-ki's management philosophy of respecting humanity and creating value to address concerns.
Hwang Sang-yeon, newly appointed CEO of Hanmi Pharmaceutical, met with reporters after the regular shareholders meeting and board meeting held at Hanmi Group's headquarters in Songpa District, Seoul, on the 31st and said, "We will meet expectations and dispel concerns," outlining plans as the incoming chief.
This is the first time in 53 years since the company's founding that an outsider has taken the helm of Hanmi Pharmaceutical.
Hwang graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry from Seoul National University and has served as head of research at Mirae Asset Securities, chief investment officer (CIO) at Allianz Global Investors, and CEO of Chong Kun Dang Holdings. In 2025, Hwang also served as head of the private equity fund (PEF) division (vice president) at HB Investment.
Hwang said, "As an analyst, I have analyzed Hanmi Pharmaceutical for more than 30 years, so I have a deep understanding of the company," adding, "As the No. 1 pharmaceutical company in Korea, we will lead the next leap forward together with our executives and employees."
Hwang added, "The core mission is to supply the best medicines to medical professionals and patients at reasonable prices," and emphasized, "We will build a company that satisfies both shareholders and employees."
Recently, it became known that Hanmi Pharmaceutical sought to cut costs by changing the raw materials of major medicines, prompting concerns from patients and pharmacists. Asked for thoughts on this, Hwang said, "Because the pharmaceutical industry is a regulated industry, meeting quality and standards is the top priority," adding, "Within that premise, we will consider both economic feasibility and the interests of the company and customers."
Regarding recent controversy over governance and a management control dispute, Hwang said, "The principle is to maximize customer, shareholder, and employee value in a balanced way based on the law and common sense," adding, "We will not lean toward any particular shareholder and will consider the interests of all shareholders."
On future strategy, Hwang said, "We will further maximize Hanmi Pharmaceutical's manufacturing competitiveness and research and development (R&D) capabilities," adding, "We will disclose specific plans in stages."
On the relationship with holding company Hanmi Science, Hwang said, "While maintaining the stability of independent management, we will raise the overall value of the group through cooperation within the holding company framework."